Language selection

Search

Patent 2186073 Summary

Third-party information liability

Some of the information on this Web page has been provided by external sources. The Government of Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information supplied by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information should consult directly with the source of the information. Content provided by external sources is not subject to official languages, privacy and accessibility requirements.

Claims and Abstract availability

Any discrepancies in the text and image of the Claims and Abstract are due to differing posting times. Text of the Claims and Abstract are posted:

  • At the time the application is open to public inspection;
  • At the time of issue of the patent (grant).
(12) Patent: (11) CA 2186073
(54) English Title: LIQUID EJECTION METHOD AND LIQUID EJECTION HEAD THEREFOR
(54) French Title: PROCEDE ET TETE D'INJECTION DE LIQUIDE
Status: Deemed expired
Bibliographic Data
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC):
  • B41J 2/04 (2006.01)
  • B41J 2/05 (2006.01)
  • B41J 2/14 (2006.01)
(72) Inventors :
  • OKAZAKI, TAKESHI (Japan)
  • KASHINO, TOSHIO (Japan)
  • YOSHIHIRA, AYA (Japan)
  • KUDO, KIYOMITSU (Japan)
  • NAKATA, YOSHIE (Japan)
(73) Owners :
  • CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA (Japan)
(71) Applicants :
  • CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA (Japan)
(74) Agent: RIDOUT & MAYBEE LLP
(74) Associate agent:
(45) Issued: 2001-04-17
(22) Filed Date: 1996-09-20
(41) Open to Public Inspection: 1997-03-23
Examination requested: 1996-09-20
Availability of licence: N/A
(25) Language of filing: English

Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT): No

(30) Application Priority Data:
Application No. Country/Territory Date
244989/1995 Japan 1995-09-22
146319/1996 Japan 1996-06-07
265886/1995 Japan 1995-10-13
335505/1995 Japan 1995-12-22
251602/1995 Japan 1995-09-28

Abstracts

English Abstract

A Liquid ejecting method for ejecting liquid using a bubble, includes using a liquid ejecting head having an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid, a bubble generating region where a bubble is generated in the liquid, a movable member which is disposed faced to the bubble generating region, and which is displaceable between a first position and a second position farther from the bubble generating region than the first position and which has a free end at a downstream side thereof; displacing the movable member from the first position to the second position by pressure based on generation of the bubble in the bubble generating region, wherein the bubble expands more to the downstream side than to the upstream side with respect to a direction toward the ejection outlet by the displacement of the movable member, thus directing the bubble toward the ejection outlet to eject the liquid through the ejection outlet: and imparting an operation to the liquid ejecting head to normalize a state of the liquid in a liquid flow path for the liquid at least before liquid ejection start or at the time of non-ejection of the liquid.


French Abstract

Une méthode d'éjection de liquide pour éjecter un liquide par la génération d'une bulle comprend l'utilisation d'une tête d'éjection de liquide avec une sortie d'éjection pour éjecter le liquide, une région de génération de bulles où une bulle est générée dans le liquide, un élément mobile qui est disposé face à la région de génération de bulles et qui est déplaçable entre une première position et une deuxième position plus éloignée de la région de génération de bulles que la première position et qui possède une extrémité libre à son côté aval; le déplacement de l'élément mobile depuis la première position vers la seconde position par la pression produite par la génération de la bulle dans la région de génération de bulles, dans lequel la bulle se développe plus en direction du côté aval qu'en direction du côté amont par rapport à une direction vers la sortie d'éjection par le déplacement de l'élément mobile, dirigeant ainsi la bulle vers la sortie d'éjection pour éjecter le liquide par la sortie d'éjection; et la transmission d'une opération à la tête d'éjection de liquide pour normaliser un état du liquide dans un chemin d'écoulement du liquide pour le liquide au moins avant le début de l'éjection du liquide ou au moment de la non-éjection du liquide.

Claims

Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.




-127-
CLAIMS:
1. A liquid ejecting method for ejecting a liquid using
a bubble, comprising the steps of:
providing a liquid ejecting head having an ejection
outlet for ejecting the liquid, a heat generating element
for generating heat to form the bubble, the heat
generating element having an area center, and a bubble
generating region where the bubble is generated in the
liquid;
a movable member which is disposed faced to said
bubble generating region, and which has a fulcrum and a
free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a
direction of flow of the liquid, said movable member
being displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region than
the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof, wherein a portion of said
movable member corresponding to the area center of said
heat generating element is displaceable;
displacing the movable member from said first
position to said second position by pressure based on
generation of the bubble in said bubble generating
region, wherein said bubble expands more to the
downstream side than to an upstream side with respect to
a direction towards said ejection outlet by the
displacement of said movable member, thus directing said
bubble towards said ejection outlet to eject the liquid
through the ejection outlet; and
heating the liquid to normalize a state of the
liquid in a liquid flow path for the liquid at least
before liquid ejection start or at a time of non-ejection
of the liquid.
2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein said



-128-

operation includes discharging said liquid other than
ejecting said liquid based on recording information.

3. A method according to Claim 2, wherein a condition
of said discharging is changed in accordance with
detecting an ejection state of said liquid.

4. A method according to Claim 2, further comprising the
step of changing a condition of said discharging in
accordance with output of ejection liquid viscosity
detecting means for a detected ejection liquid viscosity.

5. A method according to Claim 2, further comprising the
step of changing a condition of said discharging in
accordance with a detected non-ejection period.

6. A method according to Claim 2, further comprising
the step of changing a condition of said discharging in
accordance with an estimated ejection liquid temperature.

7. A method according to Claim 2, further comprising
the step of changing a condition of said discharging in
accordance with a detected ambience humidity.

8. A method according to Claim 2, further comprising
the step of changing a condition of said discharging in
accordance with a detected ejection liquid density.

9. A method according to any one of Claims 3-8, wherein
the condition of discharging of said liquid is changed in
accordance with a number of ejections.

10. A method according to any one of Claims 3-8, wherein
the condition of discharging of said liquid is a pulse
width of a bubble generation energy application pulse.




-129-

11. A method according to any one of Claims 3-8, wherein
the condition of discharging of said liquid is a bubble
generation energy applying voltage.

12. A method according to any one of Claims 3-8, wherein
the condition of discharging of said liquid is a
plurality of pulse widths of bubble generation energy.

13. A method according to Claim 1, wherein said
operation includes a step of heating said liquid.

14. A method according to Claim 13, wherein said heating
is effected using a heating means for heating provided in
a substrate having a bubble generation means for forming
said bubble generating region.

15. A method according to Claim 13, wherein said
heating is effected through a supporting member for
supporting said movable member in a form of cantilever.

16. A method according to Claim 15, wherein said
supporting member includes a separation wall for
separating the liquid flow path in fluid communication
with said ejection outlet and said bubble generating
region.

17. A method according to Claim 1, wherein said
operation includes a step of vibrating said movable
member without ejecting said liquid through said ejection
outlet.

18. A method according to Claim 17, wherein bubble
generation is started to eject the liquid while a
meniscus of the liquid is at the ejection outlet is
outwardly extended beyond a position in a rest state by



-130-

the vibration of said movable member.

19. A method according to Claim 17, wherein bubble
generation is started to eject the liquid while a
meniscus of the liquid is at the ejection outlet is
inward beyond a position in a rest state by the vibration
of said movable member.

20. A method according to Claim 17, wherein said
vibration is caused by applying energy to a bubble
generation means for generating the bubble, which is
lower than that for ejecting the liquid.

21. A method according to Claim 20, wherein said applied
energy is lowered by decreasing a pulse width thereof.

22. A method according to Claim 20, wherein said applied
energy is lowered by decreasing a voltage level thereof.

23. A method according to Claim 20, wherein said bubble
generation means has a plurality of heat generating
elements, and said vibration is caused by one of said
heat generating elements which generates a bubble
insufficient to eject the liquid.

24. A liquid ejection apparatus, using a liquid ejection
head having an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid, a
heat generating element for generating heat to form the
bubble, the heat generating element having an area
center, and a bubble generating region where the bubble
is generated in the liquid; and a movable member which is
disposed faced to said bubble generating region, and
which has a fulcrum and a free end located downstream of
the fulcrum relative to a direction of the flow of the
liquid, said movable member being displaceable between a



-131-

first position and a second position farther from the
bubble generating region than the first position and
which has a free end at a downstream side thereof,
wherein a portion of said movable member corresponding to
the area center of said heat generating element is
displaceable;
wherein the movable member is displaced from said
first position to said second position by pressure based
on generation of the bubble in said bubble generating
region, wherein said bubble expands more to the
downstream side than to the upstream side with respect to
a direction toward said ejection outlet by the
displacement of said movable member, thus directing said
bubble toward said ejection outlet to eject the liquid
through the ejection outlet; the improvement comprising:
driving means for heating the liquid to normalize a
state of the liquid in a liquid flow path for the liquid
at least before liquid ejection start or at the time of
non-ejection of the liquid.

25. An apparatus according to Claim 24, wherein said
driving means discharges said liquid other than ejecting
said liquid on the basis of recording information.

26. An apparatus according to Claim 25, wherein a
condition of said discharging is changed in accordance
with an output of ejection state detecting means for
detecting ejection state of said liquid.

27. An apparatus according to Claim 25, wherein a
condition of said discharging is changed in accordance
with an output of ejection liquid viscosity detecting
means for detecting an ejection liquid viscosity.

28. An apparatus according to Claim 25, wherein a


-132-

condition of said discharging is changed in accordance with
an output of non-ejection period detecting means for
detecting non-ejection period.

29. An apparatus according to Claim 25, wherein a condition
of said discharging is changed in accordance with an output
of ejection liquid temperature estimation means for
estimating an ejection liquid temperature.

30. An apparatus according to Claim 25, wherein a condition
of said discharging is changed in accordance with an output
of ambience humidity detecting means for detecting an
ambience humidity.

31. An apparatus according to Claim 25, wherein a condition
of said discharging is changed in accordance with an output
of ejection liquid density detecting means for detecting an
ejection liquid density.

32. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 26-31,
wherein the condition is number of ejections.

33. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 26-31,
wherein the condition is pulse width of a bubble generation
energy application pulse.

34. An apparatus according to Claims 26-31, wherein the
condition is bubble generation energy applying voltage.

35. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 26-31,
wherein the condition is plural pulse widths of bubble
generation energy.




-133-

36. A liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid using a
bubble, comprising:
an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid;
a heat generating element for generating heat to form
the bubble, said heat generating element having an area
center;
a bubble generating region for generating the bubble in
the liquid;
a movable member which is disposed faced to said bubble
generating region, and which has a fulcrum and a free end
located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction of
flow of the liquid, said movable member being displaceable
between a first position and a second position farther from
the bubble generating region than the first position and
which has a free end at a downstream side thereof, wherein a
portion of said movable member corresponding to the area
center of said heat generating element is displaceable;
wherein the movable member is displaced from said first
position to said second position by pressure based on
generation of the bubble in said bubble generating region,
wherein said bubble expands more to the downstream side than
to the upstream side with respect to a direction toward said
ejection outlet by the displacement of said movable member,
thus directing said bubble toward said ejection outlet to
eject the liquid through the ejection outlet; and
heating means for changing a state of said liquid by
changing without generating a bubble, a temperature of the
liquid by heat.

37. A liquid ejection head according to Claim 36, wherein
said temperature changing is effected using heating means
provided in a substrate having bubble generation means for
forming said bubble generating region.





-134-

38. A liquid ejection head according to Claim 36,
wherein said temperature changing is effected through a
supporting member for supporting said movable member in a
form of cantilever.

39. A liquid ejection head according to Claim 38,
further comprising a liquid flow path in communication
with said ejection outlet and said bubble generating
region, and wherein said supporting member includes a
separation wall for separating the liquid flow path in
fluid communication with said ejection outlet and said
bubble generating region.

40. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising a liquid
ejecting head as in Claim 39, and recording material
feeding means.

41. A liquid ejecting head for ejecting liquid using a
bubble, comprising:
an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid;
a heat generating element for generating heat to
form the bubble, said heat generating element having an
area center;
a bubble generating region for generating the bubble
in the liquid;
a movable member which is disposed faced to said
bubble generating region, and which has a fulcrum and a
free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a
direction of flow of the liquid, said movable member
being displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region than
the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof, wherein a portion of said
movable member corresponding to the area center of said
heat generating element is displaceable;



-135-

wherein the movable member is displaced from said
first position to said second position by pressure based
on generation of the bubble in said bubble generating
region, wherein said bubble expands more to the
downstream side than to the upstream side with respect to
a direction toward said ejection outlet by the
displacement of said movable member, thus directing said
bubble toward said ejection outlet to eject the liquid
through the ejection outlet; and
heating means for moving the liquid without ejecting
the liquid by heating the liquid.

42. A liquid ejection head according to Claim 41,
wherein said moving means vibrates said movable member,
wherein the vibration is caused by applying energy to
bubble generation means, which is lower than that for
ejecting the liquid.

43. A liquid ejection head according to Claim 42,
wherein said applied energy is lowered by decreasing a
pulse width thereof.

44. A liquid ejection head according to Claim 42,
wherein said applied energy is lowered by decreasing a
voltage level thereof.

45. A liquid ejection head according to Claim 41,
wherein said bubble generation means has a plurality of
heat generating elements, and said vibration is caused by
one of said heat generating elements which generates
bubbles not enough to eject said liquid.

46. A liquid ejection apparatus using a liquid ejection
head as defined in any one of Claims 41-45.




-136-

47. A liquid ejection apparatus for ejecting liquid,
comprising:
a liquid ejecting head having an ejection outlet for
ejecting the liquid, a heat generating element for
generating heat to form the bubble, the heat generating
element having an area center, and a bubble generating
region where the bubble is generated in the liquid; and a
movable member which is disposed faced to said bubble
generating region, and which has a fulcrum and a free end
located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction
of flow of the liquid, said movable member being
displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region than
the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof, wherein a portion of said
movable member corresponding to the area center of said
heat generating element is displaceable;
wherein the movable member is displaced from said
first position to said second position by pressure based
on generation of the bubble in said bubble generating
region, wherein said bubble expands more to the
downstream side than to the upstream side with respect to
a direction toward said ejection outlet by the
displacement of said movable member, thus directing said
bubble toward said ejection outlet to eject the liquid
through the ejection outlet; and
heating means for increasing ejecting energy by
making larger bubble generation energy for ejecting at
least during a predetermined period from ejection start
than thereafter.

48. An apparatus according to Claim 47, wherein said
increasing means increases a pulse with the energy.

49. An apparatus according to Claim 47, wherein said




-137-

increasing means increases a voltage level the energy.

50. An apparatus according to Claim 47, wherein said
increasing means applies a plurality of pulses.

51. An apparatus according to Claim 47, wherein said
increasing means includes a plurality of heat generating
elements.

52. A liquid ejecting method for ejecting liquid using a
bubble, comprising:
using a liquid ejecting head having an ejection
outlet for ejecting the liquid, a heat generating element
for generating heat to form the bubble, the heat
generating element having an area center, and a bubble
generating region where the bubble is generated in the
liquid; and a movable member which is disposed faced to
said bubble generating region, and which has a fulcrum
and a free end located downstream of the fulcrum relative
to a direction of flow of the liquid, said movable member
being displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region than
the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof, wherein a portion of said
movable member corresponding to the area center of said
heat generating element is displaceable;
wherein the movable member is displaced from said
first position to said second position by pressure based
on generation of the bubble in said bubble generating
region, wherein said bubble expands more to the
downstream side than to the upstream side with respect to
a direction toward said ejection outlet by the
displacement of said movable member, thus directing said
bubble toward said ejection outlet to eject the liquid
through the ejection outlet; and




-138-

making larger bubble generation energy for ejecting
at least during a predetermined period from ejection
start than thereafter, using heating means for heating
the liquid.

53. A liquid ejecting apparatus for effecting recording
by ejecting liquid, comprising:
a liquid ejecting head having an ejection outlet for
ejecting the liquid, a heat generating element for
generating heat to form the bubble, the heat generating
element having an area center, and a bubble generating
region where the bubble is generated in the liquid; and a
movable member which is disposed faced to said bubble
generating region, and which has a fulcrum and a free end
located downstream of the fulcrum relative to a direction
of flow of the liquid, said movable member being
displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region than
the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof, wherein a portion of said
movable member corresponding to the area center of said
heat generating element is displaceable;
wherein the movable member is displaced from said
first position to said second position by pressure based
on generation of the bubble in said bubble generating
region, wherein said bubble expands more to the
downstream side than to the upstream side with respect to
a direction toward said ejection outlet by the
displacement of said movable member, thus directing said
bubble toward said ejection outlet to eject the liquid
through the ejection outlet; and
wherein said heat generating element being effective
to discharge said liquid from the liquid flow path for
the liquid to be ejected during a predetermined period in
a non-ejection period at least before ejection start,




-139-

using means partly constituting said liquid ejecting head,
and makes larger bubble generation energy for ejecting at
least during a predetermined period from ejection start than
thereafter;
means for changing a state of said liquid by changing
without generating a bubble, a temperature of said liquid,
liquid moving means for changing a state of said liquid
by moving said liquid without ejecting said liquid.

Description

Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.



-1- 2t86Q73

LIQUID EJECTION METHOD AND
LIQUID EJECTION HEAD THEREFOR



FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a liquid
ejecting head for ejecting desired liquid by
generation of bubble by application of thermal energy
thereto, a head cartridge using the liquid ejecting
head, a liquid ejecting apparatus and a liquid
ejecting method.
More particularly, the present invention
relates to a liquid ejecting method, a liquid ejecting
head, a head cartridge using the liquid ejecting head,
and a liquid ejecting apparatus, using a movable
member which displaces by generation of a bubble.
The present invention is applicable to
equipment such as a printer, a copying machine, a
facsimile machine having a communication system, a
word processor having a printer portion or the like,
and an industrial recording device combined with
various processing device or processing devices, in
which the recording is effected on a recording
material such as paper, thread, fiber, textile,
leather, metal, plastic resin material, glass, wood,
ceramic and so on.
In this specification, "recording" means not
only forming an image of letter, figure or the like



-2- 2~86073

having specific meanings, but also includes forming an
image of a pattern not having a specific meaning.
An ink jet recording method of so-called
bubble jet type is known in which an instantaneous
state change resulting in an instantaneous volume
change (bubble generation) is caused by application of
energy such as heat to the ink, so as to eject the ink
through the ejection outlet by the force resulted from
the state change by which the ink is ejected to and
deposited on the recording material to form an image
formation. As disclosed in US patent No. 4,723,129,
a recording device using the bubble jet recording
method comprises an ejection outlet for ejecting the
ink, an ink flow path in fluid communication with the
ejection outlet, and an electrothermal transducer as
energy generating means disposed in the ink flow path.
With such a recording method is advantageous
in that, a high quality image, can be recorded at high
speed and with low noise, and a plurality of such
ejection outlets can be posited at high density, and
therefore, small size recording apparatus capable of
providing a high resolution can be provided, and color
images can be easily formed. Therefore, the bubble
jet recording method is now widely used in printers,
copying machines, facsimile machines or another office
equipment, and for industrial systems such as textile
printing device or the like.



2 1 8~n73
With the increase of the wide needs for the
bubble jet technique, various demands are imposed
thereon, recently.
For example, an improvement in energy use
efficiency is demanded. To meet the demand, the
optimization of the heat generating element such as
adjustment of the thickness of the protecting film is
investigated. This method is effective in that a
propagation efficiency of the generated heat to the
liquid is improved.
In order to provide high image quality
images, driving conditions have been proposed by which
the ink ejection speed is increased, and/or the bubble
generation is stabilized to accomplish better ink
ejection. As another example, from the standpoint of
increasing the recording speed, flow passage
configuration improvements have been proposed by which
the speed of liquid filling (refilling) into the
liquid flow path is lncreased.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No.
SHO-63-199972 and so on discloses a flow passage
structure shown in Figure 34, (a), (b).
On the other hand, in the bubble jet
recording method, the heating is repeated with the
heat generating element contacted with the ink, and
therefore, a burnt material is deposited on the
surface of the heat generating element due to burnt



~4~ 2 1 86~73

deposit of the ink. However, the amount of the
deposition may be large depending on the materials of
the ink. If this occurs, the ink ejection becomes
unstable. Additionally, even when the liquid to be
ejected is the one easily deteriorated by heat or even
when the liquid is the one with which the bubble
generation is not sufficient, the liquid is desired to
be ejected in good order without property change.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No.
SHO-61-69467, Japanese Laid Open Patent Application
No. SHO-55-81172 and US Patent No. 4,480,259 disclose
that different liquids are used for the liquid
generating the bubble by the heat (bubble generating
liquid) and for the liquid to be ejected (ejection
liquid). In these publications, the ink as the
ejection liquid and the bubble generation liquid are
completely separated by a flexible film of silicone
rubber or the like so as to prevent direct contact of
the ejection liquid to the heat generating element
while propagating the pressure resulting from the
bubble generation of the bubble generation liquid to
the ejection liquid by the deformation of the flexible
film. The prevention of the deposition of the
material on the surface of the heat generating element
and the increase of the selection latitude of the
ejection liquid are accomplished, by such a structure.
However, with this structure in which the


2 1 86073
ejection liquid and the bubble generation liquid are
completely separated, the pressure by the bubble
generation is propagated to the ejection liquid
through the expansion-contraction deformation of the
flexible film, and therefore, the pressure is absorbed
by the flexible film to a quite high degree. In
addition, the deformation of the flexible film is not
so large, and therefore, the energy use efficiency and
the ejection force are deteriorated although the some
effect is provided by the provision between the
ejection liquid and the bubble generation liquid.



SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the
present invention to provide a liquid ejecting head
and device wherein the state of the liquid to be
ejected is changed at least upon the start of the
recording operation, while maintaining the high
ejection power and the high ejection efficiency, by
which ejection performance and the property for the
recording material are improved or normalized to
stabilize and improve the image quality.
It is another object of the present invention
to provide a liquid ejecting head and a device,
wherein ejection liquid and/or the bubble generation
liquid is discharged at the latest upon the record
start, and the density of the ejection liquid is


2 1 86073


stabilized to improve or stabilize the image quality.
It is a further object of the present
invention to provide a liquid ejecting head, a driving
method therefor, and a device, wherein selection
latitude of the liquid to be ejected is enhanced,
while maintaining the stability of the ejection
property and the high recorded image quality.
According to an aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a Liquid ejecting method
for ejecting liquid using a bubble, comprising the
steps of: using a liquid ejecting head having an
ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid, a bubble
generating region where a bubble is generated in the
liquid, a movable member which is disposed faced to
said bubble generating region, and which is
displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region
than the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof;
displacing the movable member from said first
position to said second position by pressure based on
generation of the bubble in said bubble generating
region, wherein said bubble expands more to the
downstream side than to the upstream side with respect
to a direction toward said ejection outlet by the
displacement of said movable member, thus directing
said bubble toward said ejection outlet to eject the



~7~ 2l 86a 73


liquid through the ejection outlet; and
imparting an operation to said liquid
ejecting head to normalize a state of the liquid in a
liquid flow path for the liquid at least before liquid
ejection start or at the time of non-ejection of the
liquid.
According to another aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a liquid ejection
apparatus, using a liquid ejection head having an
ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid, a bubble
generating region where a bubble is generated in the
liquid, a movable member which is disposed faced to
said bubble generating region, and which is
displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region
than the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof;
wherein the movable member is displaced from
said first position to said second position by
pressure based on generation of the bubble in said
bubble generating region, wherein said bubble expands
more to the downstream side than to the upstream side
with respect to a direction toward said ejection
outlet by the displacement of said movable member,
Z5 thus directing said bubble toward said ejection outlet
to eject the liquid through the ejection outlet; the
improvement comprising:



-8- 2 1 86073

driving means for imparting an operation to
said liquid ejecting head to normalize a state of the
liquid in a liquid flow path for the liquid at least
before liquid ejection start or at the time of non-
ejection of the liquid.
According to a further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a liquid ejecting head
for ejecting liquid using a bubble, comprising:
an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid:
a bubble generating region for generating the
bubble in the liquid:
a movable member which is disposed faced to
said bubble generating region, and which is
displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region
than the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof;
wherein the movable member is displaced from
said first position to said second position by
pressure based on generation of the bubble in said
bubble generating region, wherein said bubble expands
more to the downstream side than to the upstream side
with respect to a direction toward said ejection
outlet by the displacement of said movable member,
thus directing said bubble toward said ejection outlet
to eject the liquid through the ejection outlet; and
means for changing a state of said liquid by


9 21~6073

changing a temperature of said liquid.
According to a further aspcet of the present
invention, there is provided a liquid ejecting head
for ejecting liquid using a bubble, comprising:
an ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid:
a bubble generating region for generating the
bubble in the liquid:
a movable member which is disposed faced to
said bubble generating region, and which is
displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region
than the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof;
wherein the movable member is displaced from
said first position to said second position by
pressure based on generation of the bubble in said
bubble generating region, wherein said bubble expands
more to the downstream side than to the upstream side
with respect to a direction toward said ejection
outlet by the displacement of said movable member,
thus directing said bubble toward said ejection outlet
to eject the liquid through the ejection outlet; and
liquid moving means for changing a state of
said liquid by moving said liquid without ejecting
said liquid.
According to a further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a liquid ejection


2 1 ~6073
- 1 o -

apparatus for ejecting liquid, comprising:
a liquid ejecting head having an ejection
outlet for ejecting the liquid, a bubble generating
region where a bubble is generated in the liquid, a
movable member which is disposed faced to said bubble
generating region, and which is displaceable between a
first position and a second position farther from the
bubble generating region than the first position and
which has a free end at a downstream side thereof;
wherein the movable member is displaced from
said first position to said second position by
pressure based on generation of the bubble in said
bubble generating region, wherein said bubble expands
more to the downstream side than to the upstream side
with respect to a direction toward said ejection
outlet by the displacement of said movable member,
thus directing said bubble toward said ejection outlet
to eject the liquid through the ejection outlet; and
energy increasing means for making larger
bubble generation energy for ejecting at least during
a predetermined period from ejection start than
thereafter.
According to a further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a liquid ejecting method
for ejecting liquid using a bubble, comprising:
using a liquid ejecting head having an
ejection outlet for ejecting the liquid, a bubble


2 1 86073


generating region where a bubble is generated in the
liquid, a movable member which is disposed faced to
said bubble generating region, and which is
displaceable between a first position and a second
position farther from the bubble generating region
than the first position and which has a free end at a
downstream side thereof;
wherein the movable member is displaced from
said first position to said second position by
pressure based on generation of the bubble in said
bubble generating region, wherein said bubble expands
more to the downstream side than to the upstream side
with respect to a direction toward said ejection
outlet by the displacement of said movable member,
thus directing said bubble toward said ejection outlet
to eject the liquid through the ejection outlet; and
making larger bubble generation energy for
ejecting at least during a predetermined period from
ejection start than thereafter.
According to a further aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a liquid ejecting
apparatus for effecting recording by ejecting liquid,
comprising:
a liquid ejecting head having an ejection
outlet for ejecting the liquid, a bubble generating
region where a bubble is generated in the liquid, a
movable member which is disposed faced to said bubble



-12- 2 1 ~6073

generating region, and which is displaceable between a
first position and a second position farther from the
bubble generating region than the first position and
which has a free end at a downstream side thereof;
wherein the movable member is displaced from
said first position to said second position by
pressure based on generation of the bubble in said
bubble generating region, wherein said bubble expands
more to the downstream side than to the upstream side
with respect to a direction toward said ejection
outlet by the displacement of said movable member,
thus directing said bubble toward said ejection outlet
to eject the liquid through the ejection outlet; and
discharging means for discharging said liquid
from the liquid flow path for the liquid to be ejected
during a predetermined period in a non-ejection period
at least before ejection start, using means partly
constituting said liquid ejecting head.
means for changing a state of said liquid by
0 changing a temperature of said liquid .
liquid moving means for changing a state of
said liquid by moving said liquid without ejecting
said liquid; and
energy increasing means for making larger
bubble generation energy for ejecting at least during
a predetermined period from ejection start than
thereafter.



-13- 2 ~ 86~73

In this specification, "upstream" and
"downstream" are defined with respect to a general
liquid flow from a liquid supply source to the
ejection outlet through the bubble generation region
(movable member).
As regards the bubble per se, the
"downstream" is defined as toward the ejection outlet
side of the bubble which directly function to eject
the liquid droplet. More particularly, it generally
means a downstream from the center of the bubble with
respect to the direction of the general liquid flow,
or a downstream from the center of the area of the
heat generating element with respect to the same.
In this specification, " substantially
sealed" generally means a sealed state in such a
degree that when the bubble grows, the bubble does not
escape through a gap (slit) around the movable member
before motion of the movable member.
In this specification, "separation wall" may
mean a wall (which may include the movable member)
interposed to separate the region in direct fluid
communication with the ejection outlet from the bubble
generation region, and more specifically means a wall
separating the flow path including the bubble
generation region from the liquid flow path in direct
fluid communication with the ejection outlet, thus
preventing mixture of the liquids in the liquid flow



-14- 2 1 86073

paths.
In this specification, "upon 'non-ejection ',
'non-printing' or 'non-recording' ", means "when the
liquid is not ejected for a period longer than a
minimum ejection period (a reciprocal of the maximum
ejection frequency) of repeated liquid ejections by
bubble generations for the recording operation, in a
nozzle. For example, it occurs in the not recording
range in one line recording in a serial printer, in
the sheet advancing period between lines, in the sheet
feeding period between pages, in a temporary rest
period waiting for recording instructions from a host
computer, or in the off-state of the voltage source.
Thus, it may mean a short or long period.
In this specification, "upon 'ejection
start', 'print start', or 'record start'", covers a
short period from start or resumption of the ejection,
printing or recording after the non-ejection of a
certain period.
While the invention has been described with
reference to the structures disclosed herein, it is
not confined to the details set forth and this
application is intended to cover such modifications or
changes as may come within the purposes of the
improvements or the scope of the following claims.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS


-15- 2 1 86073

Figure 1 illustrates a liquid flow passage
structure of a conventional liquid ejecting head,
wherein (a) is a schematic perspective view thereof,
and (b) is a sectional view thereof.
Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view
showing an example of a liquid ejecting head using the
liquid ejection principle applied to the present
invention.
Figure 3 is a partial partly broken
perspective view of a liquid ejecting head using the
liquid ejection principle applied to the present
invention.
Figure 4 is a schematic view showing pressure
propagation from a bubble in a conventional liquid
ejecting head.
Figure 5 is a schematic view showing pressure
propagation of a bubble in a liquid ejecting head
using the liquid ejection principle applied to the
present invention.
Figure 6 shows flow of liquid in liquid
ejecting head using the liquid ejection principle
applied to the present invention.
Figure 7 is a partial partly broken
perspective view showing a second example of a liquid
ejecting head using the liquid ejection principle
applied to the present invention.
Figure 8 is a partial partly broken


-16- 2~ 86~3

perspective view showing a third example of a liquid
ejecting head using the liquid ejection principle
applied to the present invention.
Figure 9 is a partial partly broken
perspective view of an example of a 2 flow path type
liquid ejecting head using the liquid ejection
principle applied to the present invention.
Figure lO is a portion partly broken
perspective view showing an example of a 2 flow path
type liquid ejecting head using the liquid ejection
principle applied to the present invention.
Figure ll illustrates an operation of a
movable member.
Figure 12 illustrates a structures of a
movable member and a first liquid flow path.
Figure 13 illustrates structures of a movable
member and liquid flow path.
Figure 14 illustrates another configuration
of the movable member.


Figure 15 is a longitudinal sectional view of
a liquid ejecting head using the liquid ejection
principle applied to the present invention.
Figure 16 is a schematic view showing a
configuration of a driving pulse for effecting bubble


generation.
Figure 17 is a sectional view illustrating a
supply passage of a liquid ejecting head using the



-17- 2 1 86073

liquid ejection principle applied to the present
invention.
Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view of
a liquid ejecting head using the liquid ejection
principle applied to the present invention.
Figure 19 is an exploded perspective view of
a liquid ejection head cartridge.
Figure 20 is a schematic illustration of a
liquid ejecting apparatus.
Figure 21 is a block diagram of a liquid
ejecting apparatus.
Figure 22 is a diagram of a liquid ejection
recording system.
Figure 23 is a schematic view illustrating
structures of another example (side shooter type) of a
liquid ejecting head using the liquid ejection
principle applied to the present invention.
Figure 24 is a flow chart showing process
steps of the whole recording device according to a
first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 25 is a flow chart of a recovery
sequence of the process steps of Figure 24, at the
time of soft power ON.
Figure 26 is a flow chart of a recovery
sequence of the process steps of Figure 24, at the
time of head exchange.
Figure 27 is a flow chart of a stand-by

21 a~û73
-18-



sequence of the process steps of Figure 24.
Figure 28 illustrates a part of the recovery
sequence process of the process steps of Figure 24,
during the recording operation.
Figure 29 is a flow chart of a soft power OFF
recovery sequence of the process steps shown in Figure
24.
Figure 30 is a perspective view showing a
liquid ejecting apparatus according to a second
embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 31 is a top plan view illustrating a
structure for dynamic viscosity detection.
Figure 32 is a flow chart of preliminary
sequence.
Figure 33 is a perspective view showing an
example of another structure of a liquid ejecting
apparatus according to a second embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 34 is a flow chart of preliminary
sequence.
Figure 35 is a schematic view showing a
liquid ejecting head according to a further embodiment
of the present invention.
Figure 36 illustrates arrangements of heating
means on an element substrate of a liquid ejecting
head according to an embodiment of the present
invention, wherein (a) is top plan view, and (b) is a


21 86073
--19--

sectional view taken along a line z-z' line.
Figure 37 illustrates arrangements of heating
means on an element substrate of a liquid ejecting
head according to an embodiment of the present
invention, wherein (a) is top plan view, and ~b) is a
sectional view taken along a line z-z' line.
Figure 38 illustrates arrangements of heating
means on an element substrate of a liquid ejecting
head according to an embodiment of the present
invention, wherein ~a) is top plan view, and (b) is a
sectional view taken along a line z-z' line.
Figure 39 is a sectional view a liquid flow
path of a head using a driving method according to a
seventh embodiment of the present invention
Figure 40 shows pulses for driving, according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 41 is a graph showing displacement of
a meniscus with time at the ejection outlet position.
Figure 42 is a schematic view showing a
fundamental structure for driving the head.
Figure 43 illustrates control of driving
pulses.
Figure 44 illustrates driving pulses of an
eighth embodiment according to the present invention.
Figure 45 illustrates a control of driving
pulses according to an eighth embodiment of the
present invention.


2 1 8~073

Figure 46 illustrates driving pulses of a
ninth embodiment according to the present invention.
Figure 47 is a graph showing displacement of
a meniscus with time at the ejection outlet position.
Figure 48 illustrates a control of driving
pulses according to a ninth embodiment of the present
invention.
Figure 49 is a sectional view of a liquid
ejecting head suitable for a driving method for a
liquid ejecting head according to a first 0 embodiment
of the present invention.
Figure 50 shows pulses for driving a heat
generating element.
Figure 51 illustrates the first O embodiment,
and more particularly is a sectional view of a liquid
flow path of a head using a driving method of the
present invention.
Figure 52 illustrates control of driving
pulses.
Figure 53 is a schematic view of a driving
structure of a liquid ejecting apparatus according to
an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 54 shows an equivalent circuit of an
element substrate of a liquid ejecting head.
Figure 55 is a waveform graph showing driving
pulses.
Figure 56 shows a relation between a driving


-21- 2 1 86073

voltage and a pulse width of the driving pulse.
Figure 57 is a flow chart showing steps of an
initial ejection stabilization process according to
11th embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 58 is a waveform graph showing driving
pulses.
Figure 59 shows a relation between a driving
time of a driving pulse and an ejection speed.
Figure 60 is a flow chart showing steps of an
initial ejection stabilization process according to
12th embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 61 is a waveform graph showing driving
pulses.
Figure 62 is a flow chart showing steps of an
initial ejection stabilization process according to
13th embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 63 is a waveform graph showing driving
pulses.
Figure 64 is a sectional view showing a
structure of a liquid ejecting head according to a
first 4 embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 65 is a flow chart showing steps of an
initial ejection stabilization process according to
14th embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 66 is a flow chart showing process
steps for preliminary ejecting operation upon print
start.


-22- 2 ~ 86073

Figure 67 schematically shows a content of a
table usable with the process shown in Figure 66.
Figure 68 is a timing chart of each operation
shown in Figure 66.




DESCRIPTION OF THE PR~K~ EMBODIMENTS
(Ejection Fundamentals and Head Structure)
The description will be made as to

fundamentals on the ejection of the liquid and the
structure of the head. First, the description will be
made as to an improvement in an ejection force and/or
an ejection efficiency by controlling a direction of
propagation of pressure resulting from generation of a
bubble for ejecting the liquid and controlling a
direction of growth of the bubble.
Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of a
liquid ejecting head taken along a liquid flow path
according to this embodiment, and Figure 3 is a partly
broken perspective view of the liquid ejecting head.
The liquid ejecting head of this embodiment
comprises a heat generating element 2 (a heat
generating resistor of 40 ~m x 105 ~m in this
embodiment) as the ejection energy generating element
for supplying thermal energy to the liquid to eject
the liquid, an element substrate 1 on which said heat
generating element 2 is provided, and a liquid flow
path 10 formed above the element substrate



-23- 2~86373

correspondingly to the heat generating element 2. The
liquid flow path 10 is in fluid communication with a
common liquid chamber 13 for supplying the liquid to a
plurality of such liquid flow paths 10 which is in
fluid communication with a plurality of the ejection
outlets 18.
Above the element substrate in the liquid
flow path 10, a movable member or plate 31 in the form
of a cantilever of an elastic material such as metal
is provided faced to the heat generating element 2.
One end of the movable member is fixed to a foundation
(supporting member) 34 or the like provided by
patterning of photosensitivity resin material on the
wall of the liquid flow path 10 or the element
substrate. By this structure, the movable member is
supported, and a fulcrum (fulcrum portion) is
constituted.
The movable member 31 is so positioned that
it has a fulc,rum (fulcrum portion which is a fixed
end) 33 in an upstream side with respect to a general
flow of the liquid from the common liquid chamber 13
toward the ejection outlet 18 through the movable
member 31 caused by the ejecting operation and that it
has a free end (free end portion) 32 in a downstream
side of the fulcrum 33. The movable member 31 is
faced to the heat generating element 2 with a gap of
15 ~m approx. as if it covers the heat generating



-24- 2 1 86073

element 2. A bubble generation region is constituted
between the heat generating element and movable
member, The type, configuration or position of the
heat generating element or the movable member is not
limited to the ones described above, but may be
changed as long as the growth of the bubble and the
propagation of the pressure can be controlled. For
the purpose of easy understanding of the flow of the
liquid which will be described hereinafter, the liquid
flow path 10 is divided by the movable member 31 into
a first liquid flow path 14 which is directly in
communication with the ejection outlet 18 and a second
liquid flow path 16 having the bubble generation
region 11 and the liquid supply port 12.
By causing heat generation of the heat
generating element 2, the heat is applied to the
liquid in the bubble generation region 11 between the
movable member 31 and the heat generating element 2,
by which a bubble is generated by the film boiling
ZO phenomenon as disclosed in US Patent No. 4,723,129.
The bubble and the pressure caused by the generation
of the bubble act mainly on the movable member, so
that the movable member 31 moves or displaces to
widely open toward the ejection outlet side about the
fulcrum 33, as shown in Figure 2, (b) and (c) or in
Figure 3. By the displacement of the movable member
31 or the state after the displacement, the


-25- 2 1 86373

propagation of the pressure caused by the generation
of the bubble and the growth of the bubble per se are
directed toward the ejection outlet.
Here, one of the fundamental ejection
principles according to the present invention will be
described. One of important principles of this
invention is that the movable member disposed faced to
the bubble is displaced from the normal first position
to the displaced second position on the basis of the
pressure of the bubble generation or the bubble per
se, and the displacing or displaced movable member 31
is effective to direct the pressure produced by the
generation of the bubble and/or the growth of the
bubble per se toward the ejection outlet 18
(downstream side).
More detailed description will be made with
comparison between the conventional liquid flow
passage structure not using the movable member (Figure
4) and the present invention (Figure 5). Here, the
direction of propagation of the pressure toward the
ejection outlet is indicated by VA, and the direction
of propagation of the pressure toward the upstream is
indicated by VB.
In a conventional head as shown in Figure 4,
there is not any structural element effective to
regulate the direction of the propagation of the
pressure produced by the bubble 40 generation.



-26- 21 8 6073



Therefore, the direction of the pressure propagation
of the is normal to the surface of the bubble as
indicated by Vl-V8, and therefore, is widely directed
in the passage. Among these directions, those of the
pressure propagation from the half portion of the
bubble closer to the ejection outlet (Vl-V4) have the
pressure components in the VA direction which is most
effective for the liquid ejection. this portion is
important since it directly contributable to the
liquid ejection efficiency, the liquid ejection
pressure and the ejection speed. Furthermore, the
component Vl is closest to the direction of VA which
is the ejection direction, and therefore, is most
effective, and the V4 has a relatively small component
in the direction VA.
On the other hand, in the case of the present
invention, shown in Figure 5, the movable member 31 is
effective to direct, to the downstream (ejection
outlet side), the pressure propagation directions Vl-

V4 of the bubble which otherwise are toward various
directions. Thus, the pressure propagations of bubble
40 are concentrated, so that the pressure of the
bubble 40 is directly and efficiently contributable to
the ejection.
The growth direction per se of the bubble is
directed downstream similarly to to the pressure
propagation directions Vl-V4, and grow more in the


-27- 2 ~ 86073

downstream side than in the upstream side. Thus, the
growth direction per se of the bubble is controlled by
the movable member, and the pressure propagation
direction from the bubble is controlled thereby, so
that the ejection efficiency, ejection force and
ejection speed or the like are fundamentally improved.
Referring back to Figure 2, the ejecting
operation of the liquid ejecting head in this
embodiment will be described in detail.
Figure 2, (a) shows a state before the energy
such as electric energy is applied to the heat
generating element 2, and therefore, no heat has yet
been generated. It should be noted that the movable
member 31 is so positioned as to be faced at least to
the downstream portion of the bubble generated by the
heat generation of the heat generating element. In
other words, in order that the downstream portion of
the bubble acts on the movable member, the liquid flow
passage structure is such that the movable member 31
extends at least to the position downstream
(downstream of a line passing through the center 3 of
the area of the heat generating element and
perpendicular to the length of the flow path) of the
center 3 of the area of the heat generating element.
Figure 2, (b) shows a state wherein the heat
generation of heat generating element 2 occurs by the
application of the electric energy to the heat


-28- 2 1 86073

generating element 2, and a part of of the liquid
filled in the bubble generation region 11 is heated by
the thus generated heat so that a bubble is generated
through the film boiling.
At this time, the movable member 31 is
displaced from the first position to the second
position by the pressure produced by the generation of
the bubble 40 so as to guide the propagation of the
pressure toward the ejection outlet. It should be
noted that, as described hereinbefore, the free end 32
of the movable member 31 is disposed in the downstream
side (ejection outlet side), and the fulcrum 33 is
disposed in the upstream side (common liquid chamber
side), so that at least a part of the movable member
is faced to the downstream portion of the bubble, that
is, the downstream portion of the heat generating
element.
Figure 2, (c) shows a state in which the
bubble 40 has further grown. By the pressure
resulting from the bubble 40 generation, the movable
member 31 is displaced further. The generated bubble
grows more downstream than upstream, and it expands
greatly beyond a first position (broken line position)
of the movable member. Thus, it is understood that in
accordance with the growth of the bubble 40, the
movable member 31 gradually displaces, by which the
pressure propagation direction of the bubble 40, the



-2g- 2186073

direction in which the volume movement is easy,
namely, the growth direction of the bubble, are
directed uniformly toward the ejection outlet, so that
the ejection efficiency is increased. When the
movable member guides the bubble and the bubble
generation pressure toward the ejection outlet, it
hardly obstructs propagation and growth, and can
efficiently control the propagation direction of the
pressure and the growth direction of the bubble in
accordance with the degree of the pressure.
Figure 2, (d) shows a state wherein the
bubble 40 contracts and disappears by the decrease of
the pressure in the bubble, peculiar to the film
boiling phenomenon.
The movable member 31 having been displaced
to the second position returns to the initial position
(first position) of Figure 2, (a) by the restoring
force provided by the spring property of the movable
member per se and the negative pressure due to the
contraction of the bubble. Upon the collapse of
bubble, the liquid flows back from the common liquid
chamber side as indicated by VD1 and VD2 and from the
ejection outlet side as indicated by Vc so as to
compensate for the volume reduction of the bubble in
the bubble generation region 11 and to compensate for
the volume of the ejected liquid.
In the foregoing, the description has been


_30- 2186~73

made as to the operation of the movable member with
the generation of the bubble and the ejecting
operation of the liquid. Now, the description will be
made as to the refilling of the liquid in the liquid
ejecting head of the present invention.
Referring to Figure 2, liquid supply
mechanism will be described.
When the bubble 40 enters the bubble
collapsing process after the maximum volume thereof
(Figure 2, (c)), a volume of the liquid enough to
compensate for the collapsing bubbling volume flows
into the bubble generation region from the ejection
outlet 18 side of the first liquid flow path 14 and
from the bubble generation region of the second liquid
flow path 16. In the case of conventional liquid ~low
passage structure not having the movable member 31,
the amount of the liquid from the ejection outlet side
to the bubble collapse position and the amount of the
liquid from the common liquid chamber thereinto, are
influenced by the flow resistances of the portion
closer to the ejection outlet than the bubble
generation region and the portion closer to the common~
liquid chamber (flow path resistance and the inertia
of the liquid).
Therefore, when the flow resistance at the
supply port side is smaller than the other side, a
large amount of the liquid flows into the bubble


-31- 2 ~ 8 ~7 3

collapse position from the ejection outlet side with
the result that the meniscus retraction is large.
With the reduction of the flow resistance in the
ejection outlet for the purpose of increasing the
ejection efficiency, the meniscus M retraction
increases upon the collapse of bubble with the result
of longer refilling time period, thus making high
speed printing difficult.
According to this embodiment, because of the
provision of the movable member 31, the meniscus
retraction stops at the time when the movable member
returns to the initial position upon the collapse of
bubble, and thereafter, the supply of the liquid to
fill a volume W2 is accomplished by the flow VD2
through the second flow path 16 (W1 is a volume of an
upper side of the bubble volume W beyond the first
position of the movable member 31, and W2 is a volume
of a bubble generation region 11 side thereof). In
the prior art, a half of the volume of the bubble
volume W is the volume of the meniscus retraction, but
according to this embodiment, only about one half (Wl)
is the volume of the meniscus retraction.
Additionally, the liquid supply for the
volume W2 is forced to be effected mainly from the
upstream (VD2) of the second liquid flow path along
the surface of the heat generating element side of the
movable member 31 using the pressure upon the collapse



-32- 2~86073

of bubble, and therefore, more speedy refilling action
is accomplished.
When the refilling using the pressure upon
the collapse of bubble is carried out in a
conventional head, the vibration of the meniscus is
expanded with the result of the deterioration of the
image quality. However, according to this embodiment,
the flows of the liquid in the first liquid flow path
14 at the ejection outlet side and the ejection outlet
side of the bubble generation region 11 are
suppressed, so that the vibration of the meniscus is
reduced.
Thus, according to this embodiment, the high
speed refilling is accomplished by the forced
refilling to the bubble gen~ration region through the
liquid supply passage 12 of the second flow path 16
and by the suppression of the meniscus retraction and
vibration. Therefore, the stabilization of ejection
and high speed repeated ejections are accomplished,
2~ and when the embodiment is used in the field of
recording, the improvement in the image quality and in
the recording speed can be accomplished.
The embodiment provides the following
effective function. It is a suppression of the
propagation of the pressure to the upstream side (back
wave) produced by the generation of the bubble. The
pressure due to the common liquid chamber 13 side



_33- 2 1 86073

(upstream) of the bubble generated on the heat
generating element 2 mostly has resulted in force
which pushes the liquid back to the upstream side
(back wave). The back wave deteriorates the refilling
of the liquid into the liquid flow path by the
pressure at the upstream side, the resulting motion of
the liquid and the resulting inertia force. In this
embodiment, these actions to the upstream side are
suppressed by the movable member 31, so that the
refilling performance is further improved.
The description will be made as to a further
characterizing feature and the advantageous effect.
The second liquid flow path 16 of this
embodiment has a liquid supply passage 12 having an
internal wall substantially flush with the heat
generating element 2 (the surface of the heat
generating element is not greatly stepped down) at the
upstream side of the heat generating element 2. With
this structure, the supply of the liquid to the
surface of the heat generating element 2 and the
bubble generation region 11 occurs along the surface
of the movable member 31 at the position closer to the
bubble generation region 11 as indicated by VD2.
Accordingly, stagnation of the liquid on the surface
of the heat generating element 2 is suppressed, so
that precipitation of the gas dissolved in the liquid
is suppressed, and the residual bubbles not



-34- 2 1~6073

disappeared are removed without difficulty, and in
addition, the heat accumulation in the liquid is not
too much. Therefore, the stabilized bubble generation
can be repeated at a high speed. In this embodiment,
the liquid supply passage 12 has a substantially flat
internal wall, but this is not limiting, and the
liquid supply passage is satisfactory if it has an
internal wall with such a configuration smoothly
extended from the surface of the heat generating
element that the stagnation of the liquid occurs on
the heat generating element, and eddy flow is not
significantly caused in the supply of the liquid.
The supply of the liquid into the bubble
generation region may occur through a gap at a side
portion of the movable member (~lit 35) as indicated
by VDl. In order to direct the pressure upon the
bubble generation further effectively to the ejection
outlet, a large movable member covering the entirety
of the bubble generation region (covering the surface
of the heat generating element) may be used, as shown
in Figure 2. Then, the flow resistance for the liquid
between the bubble generation region 11 and the region
of the first liquid flow path 14 close to the ejection
outlet is increased by the restoration of the movable
member to the first position, so that the flow of the
liquid to the bubble generation region 11 along V
can be suppressed. However, according to the head



~35~ 2 1 86~73

structure of this embodiment, there is a flow
effective to supply the liquid to the bubble
generation region, the supply performance of the
liquid is greatly increased, and therefore, even if
the movable member 31 covers the bubble generation
region 11 to improve the ejection efficiency, the
supply performance of the liquid is not deteriorated.
The positional relation between the free end
32 and the fulcrum 33 of the movable member 31 is such
that the free end is at a downstream position of the
fulcrum as indicated by 6 in the Figure, for example.
With this structure, the function and effect of
guiding the pressure propagation direction and the
direction of the growth of the bubble to the ejection
outlet side or the like can be efficiently assured
upon the bubble generation. Additionally, the
positional relation is effective to accomplish not
only the function or effect relating to the ejection
but also the reduction of the flow resistance through
the liquid flow path 10 upon the supply of the liquid
thus permitting the high speed refilling. When the
meniscus M retracted b the ejection as shown in Figure
6, returns to the ejection outlet 18 by capillary
force or when the liquid supply is effected to
compensate for the collapse of bubble, the positions
of the free end and the fulcrum 33 are such that the
flows Sl, Sz and S3 through the liquid flow path 10


2 1 86073
-36-



including the first liquid flow path 14 and the second
liquid flow path 16, are not impeded.
More particularly, in this embodiment, as
described hereinbefore, the free end 32 of the movable
member 3 is faced to a downstream position of the
center 3 of the area which divides the heat generating
element 2 into an upstream region and a downstream
region (the line passing through the center (central
portion) of the area of the heat generating element
and perpendicular to a direction of the length of the
liquid flow path). The movable member 31 receives the
pressure and the bubble which are greatly
contributable to the ejection of the liquid at the
downstream side of the area center position 3 of the
heat generating element, and it guides the force to
the ejection outlet side, thus fundamentally improving
the ejection efficiency or the ejection force.
Further advantageous effects are provided
using the upstream side of the bubble, as described
hereinbefore.
Furthermore, it is considered that in the
structure of this embodiment, the instantaneous
mechanical movement of the free end of the movable
member 31, contributes to the ejection of the liquid.
Figure 7 shows a second embodiment. In
Figure 7, A shows a displaced movable member although
bubble is not shown, and B shows the movable member in


-37- 21 86073

the initial position (first position) wherein the
bubble generation region 11 is substantially sealed
relative to the ejection outlet 18. Although not
shown, there is a flow passage wall between A and B to
separate the flow paths.
A foundation 34 is provided at each side, and
between them, a liquid supply passage 12 is
constituted. With this structure, the liquid can be
supplied along a surface of the movable member faced
to the heat generating element side and from the
liquid supply passage having a surface substantially
flush with the surface of the heat generating element
or smoothly continuous therewith.
When the movable member 31 is at the initial
position (first position), the movable member 31 is
close to or closely contacted to a downstream wall 36
disposed downstream of the heat generating element 2
and heat generating element side walls 37 disposed at
the sides of the heat generating element, so that the
ejection outlet 18 side of the bubble generation
region 11 is substantially sealed. Thus, the pressure
produced by the bubble at the time of the bubble
generation and particularly the pressure downstream of
the bubble, can be concentrated on the free end side
side of the movable member, without releasing the
pressure.
In the process of the collapse of bubble, the

-38- 2 ~ 8607 3

movable member 31 returns to the first position, and
the ejection outlet side of the bubble generation
region 31 is substantially sealed, and therefore, the
meniscus retraction is suppressed, and the liquid
supply to the heat generating element is carried out
with the advantages described hereinbefore. As
regards the refilling, the same advantageous effects
can be provided as in the foregoing embodiment.
In this embodiment, the foundation 34 for
supporting and fixing the movable member 31 is
provided at an upstream position away from the heat
generating element 2, as shown in Figure 3 and Figure
7, and the foundation 34 has a width smaller than the
liquid flow path 10 to supply the liquid to the liquid
supply passage 12. The configuration of the
foundation 34 is not limited to this structure, but
may be anyone if smooth refilling is accomplished.
In this embodiment, the clearance between the
movable member 31 and the clearance is 15 ~m approx.,
but the distance may be changed as long as the
pressure produced by the bubble generation is
sufficiently propagated to the movable member.
Figure 8 shows one of the fundamental aspects
of the present invention. Figure 8 shows a positional
- 25 relation among a bubble generation region, bubble and
the movable member in one liquid flow path to further
describe the liquid ejecting method and the refilling



_39_ 21a 6 ~73



method according to an aspect of the present
invention.
In the above described embodiment, the
pressure by the generated bubble is concentrated on
the free end of the movable member to accomplish the
quick movement of the movable member and the
concentration of the movement of the bubble to the
ejection outlet side. In this embodiment, the bubble
is relatively free, while a downstream portion of the
bubble which is at the ejection outlet side directly
contributable to the droplet ejection, is regulated by
the free end side of the movable member.
More particularly, the projection (hatched
portion) functioning as a barrier provided on the heat
generating element substrate 1 of Figure 3 is not
provided in this embodiment. The free end region and
opposite lateral end regions of the movable member do
not substantially seal the bubble generation region
relative to the ejection outlet region, but it opens
the bubble generation region to the ejection outlet
region, in this embodiment.
In this example, the growth of the bubble is
permitted at the downstream leading end portion of the
downstream portions having direct function for the
liquid droplet ejection, and therefore, the pressure
component is effectively used for the ejection.
Additionally, the upward pressure in this downstream



2~ 8~73

portion (component forces VB2, VB3 and VB4) acts such
that the free end side portion of the movable member
is added to the growth of the bubble at the leading
end portion. Therefore, the ejection efficiency is
improved similarly to the foregoing embodiments. As
compared with the embodiment, this embodiment is
better in the responsivity to the driving of the heat
generating element.
The structure of this embodiment is simple,
and therefore, the manufacturing is easy.
The fulcrum portion of the movable member 31
of this embodiment is fixed on one foundation 34
having a width smaller than that of the surface of the
movable member. Therefore, the liquid supply to the
bubble generation region ll upon the collapse of
bubble occurs along both of the lateral sides of the
foundation (indicated by an arrow). The foundation
may be in another form if the liquid supply
performance is assured.
In the case of this embodiment, the existence
of the movable member is effective to control the flow
into the bubble generation region from the upper part
upon the collapse of bubble, the refilling for the
supply of the liquid is better than the conventional
bubble generating structure having only the heat
generating element. The retraction of the meniscus is
also decreased thereby.



. -41- 2t 86073

~ n a pref~rable modlfied embodi~ent of the
third embodiment, both of the lateral sldes (~r only
one l~teral side1 a~e ~ubstantially ~ealed f~r the
~ubble generation re~ion 11. With such a structure,
5 the pre~ure to~ard thc lateral ~ide of the movable
member i~ also directed to the ejection outlet ~ide
end portlon, so that the ejection efficiency is
further improved.
The ~escription will be made a~ to another
10 examPle~
The ejection principle for the liquid in thi~
em~odiment is the ~me as in the foregoing em~n~i -nt.
The llquid flow path ~s ~ multl-passage st~ucture,
and the li~uid ~bu~ble generation liquid) for ~ub~le
- 15 generat~on by the heat, and the liquid (ejection
~i~uid) mainly ejected, Are separated.
Figure g ~ 5 A section~l schemAtic ~iew ln a
direction along the flow path o~ th~ l~qu1d ejec~iny
h~ad of this embo~i e t. Figur~ 10 is a perspective
20 view thereo~.
In the liquid ejeGting head of this
embodiment, a ~eco~d liguid flow path 16 for the
~u~ble gener~tion is pro~ided on the e~ement ~u~strate

1 wh~ch is pr~vided with a heat generatiny ~lement 2
for suPPlYing thP ~1 ener~y for gene~ating the bubble
in the liquid, and a first liquid flo~ path 14 for the
ejection liquid in direct communication with t~e



-42- 2186073

e~cti~n outle~ 18 is ~orme~ thereabove,
The upst~e~m side of t~e first llquid flow
path is in ~luid 11 lnicat$on with a first eommon
liquid rh~mh~r 15 for ~upplying the ejecti~n l~qui~
into a plurality of ~irst liquid flow path~, and ~he
up~tream 6ide of th~ second liquid flow path is ln
fluid c~ ication with the s~con~ . n liqui~
ch~er for supplying the bubble generation li~id to
a plurality o~ ~econd liquid flow path~
In the ca~e that the bub~le generation liquid
and ejection liquid ~re th~ same liq~ids, the n~mber
of the ~- -~n liqul~ cham~ers may ~e one.
Be~een the first an~ ~econd liquid ~low
paths, there i~ a separ~tlon wall 30 of an elastic
material such as meta~ h~t the ~irst flow pat~ and
the ~econd f low pa~h are se~rated In the case tha~
mixing of the bubble gen~raticln liqui~l and the
ejection liquid ~hould be r~1mll~, the fir~t liquid
~low path 14 ~nd ~h~ s~ond ll~uid flow path 16 ~re
20 prefera}~ly isolated by the partition wall. However~
when the mixing to a certain ~t~nt is permissible,
the complete i801ation iS not inevitab~
A portion of the partition wall in the upward
proje~tiorl ~pace OI the heat generati~g ~lemRnt
~5 ( e jection pressure generation re~ion including A and ~
(~ubble generation region ll) in Figur~ lO), i~ in the
f~m of a c ntilever mov~ble member 31, form~d by


-43- 21 86073

slit~ 35, having a fulcrum 33 at the common li~uid
chambe~ (15, 17) side and free end a~ the e~ection
outlet si~e (downstre~m with re~pect to the general
flow of the liq~id~. The movable member 31 i~ fac~d
to the surface, an~ theréf~re, lt operates to open
toward the ejection ou~let ~ide of the fir~ ~iquid
flow pa~h upon the bubble ~ener~tion of th~ bu~ble
g~n~ration llquld ~direction of the arrow ln the
Flgure). In an example o~ ~igure lJ., too, ~ partltion
wall 30 i~ di~po~ed, with a space ~or c~nstituting a
second liquid flow path, abo~e an elemen~ substrate 1
pro~ided with a hea~ generating r~sistor portlon as
the heat gen~rating element ~ ~nd wiring electrodes 5
fo~ applying an electric signal to the h~at g~nerating
lS res~stor portion.
A~ for the positional relat~on am~ng the
f~lcrum 33 and the free end 32 of t~e moYable m~ber
31 and the he~t generating element, are the same as in
the previ~u~ example.
II1 the previous example, the de~criptlon has
been made a6 to the relation ~e~e~l the fitructures of
~he liquid su~ply pas~age 12 and the heat generating
eleme.nt 2 The relation ~w~en ~he ~econd liquid
~I.ow path 16 an~l the heat S~enerating elemen~ 2 i~; the
sa~e in thi6 embodiment.
Referring to Figure 11, the operation of the
liqui~ eJectlng head of thi~ Pmhodime~t will be



2l 86~73

described.
The used e~ection liquid in the first liquid
f low path 14 ~nd the used bubble generation liquid in
the second liqul~ flow path 16 were t~e same w~ter
base lnks.
By the heat gener~ted hy the heat generating
elPment ~, the ~ubble generatiOn llquid in the ~ub~le
generation regi~n in the second liq~d flow p~th
generate6 a bubble 40, ~y film boiling phP~I ~n~n
described hereinbefore.
In thls embodiment, the b~bble generati~n
pre6~ure i~ not relea6ed in the three ~irectlons
except for the ~pstream side ln the bubb~e ~eneration
regio~, 60 that the pressure produced by the hubble
~eneration is propagated co~ntratedly on the movable
mem~er 6 ~ide in the ejection pres~ure generation
portion, by which the mov~ble member 6 is displ~cea
from the position indicated in ~igure 11, (a) toward
~he fir~t liquid flow path side as indicated in Figure
11, ~b) wi~h the growth of the bubble. By the
operation af the movable ~ember, the first liquid flow
path 14 ~nd the ~econd llquid fl~w path 16 are in wide
f~uid e~mm~nlc~tlon wlth each oLher, ànd the pressure
pro~uced by the genera~tion o~ ~e bubble i~ ~ainly
propagated ~oward the ejection o~tlet in the first
l~guid flow path (direction A). ~y the propagation o~
the pressure and the --h~ntc~l displ~ L of the



_45_ 2186~3

mova~le m~mher~ the li.qui~ i~ eiect~d th~ough the
ejection outlet.
Then, wlth the contraction of the ~u~ble, ~he
movable member 31 returns ~o the po~ition indicated in
Figure 11, (a), and correspondlng~y, an amount af the
liquid corresponding to the eject$on liquid is
~pplied from the upstream in ~he first li~ul~ flow
path 14. In thi~ nt, the direction o~ the
liquid supply i~ codirectional with the clo~ing of the
10 ~ovable mem~er as in the foregoing embo~ ment~, the
refillin~ of the liquid ifi not impeded by the movab~e
memger.
The m~jor ~unction~ and effects as regard~
the propaga~ion of the b~bb~ ~eneration pre~ure with
the dixplacement of the mo~ble wall, the direction of
the bu~ble growtll, the prevention of the back wave and
sa an, ~n thi~ e~nil-nt~ are the same a~ with th~
~irst emho~iment, but the two-flow-path s~ruct~re i~
advantag~ous in the fo~lowing point8
Th~ eject$on llquid an~ ~he nu~ble generation
liquid may be s~parate~, an~ ~he ej~tion liq~ld l
ejected by the pr~ssu~e pr~ e~ in the bubbl~
generation liquid, Accordin~l~, a high ~iscoslty
liquid such as polyethYl~n~ glycol or ~h~ like ~Ith
2~ which bu~ble generation and theref~re eJectlon force
is no~ sufflcient by heat application, and ~hich ha~
not ~een eJected in good o~der, can ~e eiected. F~



-46- 2 t 86~73

e~a~ple, this liquid i6 ~upplied into the first liquid
fl~w path, and liquid with which the bubble generation
is ln good order is ~ppl~ed into the second p~th as
the ~ble generation liquid. An example of the
bubblR generatl~n llquid a mi~ture liquld (1 - Z cP
appro~.~ ~f ~he anol and water (4;6). By doing ~o,
the ejectiun liquid ~an he properly ej0cted.
Addltlonally, by selecting as th~ bu~le
generation li~uid ~ liquid wlth whic~ the deposi~ion
such as kogation doe~ not r~main on the ~urface of the
heat generating element ev~n upnn the heat
applica~ion, the bub~le generation is stabilize~ to
~ure the ~roper ejeetions. ~he d~ove-d~scrib~d
effect~ in ~e foregoing embod$m~nt6 are also provided
- 15 in this embo~lim~nt, the high Ti8CoUS liquid or the
like can be ejected with a high ejection efficiency
and a high ejection pres6ure.
Furthermore, liquid which is not durable
as~ainst ~e~t iE; e~ectable. In this case, 6uch a
liquld ls supplied in the fir~t liquid flow path as
the ejectian llquld, and a liquid ~hich is not easily
altere~ ln the property by th~ hea~ an~ with which the
~ub~le gener~tlon ls in good ~rder. is supplied in the
~ oQn~ liquid flow path. By dolng ~;o, the liqui~l can
25 be ejecte~ without thermal damage and with high
ejection efficiency and wlth high ejection pressure.
In the foregolng, the description ha~ been

21 ~6073
--47--



made as to the major p~rts of the li~uid ejecting he~
and the li~uid ejecting method according to t~e
embodiments of the pre~sent inlrention. The d~;crip~ion
will now be made as to further detailed embodiment6
usable with the ~oregoing embodiment~ The following
exa~plQs ~re u~a~le with both of the single-flow-path
type ~nd two-~low-pa~h type without specific
statement.
~Liyuid flow path ceiling configuratlon~
Flgure 12 is a sectional ~le~ taken ~long the
lengt~ of t~e flow path of the liquid ejecting head
according to the embodiment. ~r~oves for c~stit~ting
the first li~uid ~low path~ 14 ~or liquld ilow p~hs
10 in Figur~ ~ ) are formed in grooYe4 member 5U on a
1~ partition wall 30. In thi~ embodiment, the height of
the flow path ceiling adjacent t~e ~ree end 32
position of t~e mo~ble mem~er is greater to pe~it
laryer operation angle ~ o~ the mo~able me~er. The
operation range of the moTable member is deteL i n~d in
ZO congider~tion o~ the structure of the liquid flow
~atll, the durability o~ the movable member and the
~u4ble generation power or the like, It is desirable
that lt moves in the angle range ~ide enough to
lnclude the anyle c~f the position o~ the ejection
~5 outlet.
A~ shown ~n thi~ Figure, the di~placed l~el
o~ the ~ree end of the ~ova~le m~m~er i6 made higher



-48- 2 1 86073

than the diameter of ~he e~ection outlet, ~y which
~ufficient ejection pres~ure is transmitted. A~
shown in this Figure, a height of th~ li~uid flow path
ce$1ing at tlle fulcrum 33 posit~on of the movable
member is lower than that of th~3 liquid ~low path
cei 1 ing at the f ree end 32 po~it ion c~f th~ mova~le
mem~E~r, E;~ that the release o~ ~he pre~ure wave to
the upstream side due to the displ~r~ ?nt of the
movable member can be further effectively preven~ed~
10 CPosi~ional relation ~etween second liquid flow p~th
an~ mova~le m~mher>
Fig~re 13 is an lllustration of a positional
relation ~etween the a~o~e-~e~cribed mova~le me~ber 31
an~ second liquid flow path 16, and ~a) is a view of
15 the mo~ble ~ember 31 ~oslti~n of the par~ition wall
30 as seen from the above, and ~b) is a vi~w of the
second liquid flo~ pa~h 16 seen ~r~m ~he above withaut
partitio~ ~all 30. Figure 14, ~c~ is ~ schematic
Yiew of the positional relation between the mo~able
~0 mem~er 6 and the second liquid flow path 1~ wherein
~he element~ are o~erlaid. ~n these Figures, the
bottom is a front side haYing the ¢~ection outlet~.

The ~e~on~l liquid flow path 16 o~ thi~i
embodiment has a throat portion lg upstream o:E the
~eat generating e~ement 2 with re~pect to a ~eneral
flow of the liquid from the second common liquid
chamber ~ide to the ejectlon outlet through the ~eat



_4~_ 2 1 86073

generatlng ele~ent position, the movable member
p~Eition along ~he flrst flo~ path, ~o as to provide a
chamber (bub~le generation chamber) eff~ctive to
suppress easy release, ~oward the upstream ~ide, of
t~e pre~sure ~roduced upon ~he bubble generation in
the ~cond llquid flow p~th 16.
In the case.of the c~nventlonal head whereln
t~Q flow path ~here the bubble ~eneratlon occur~ and
the flow path from whlch the li~uid i5 ejected, are
the same, a throat p~rtlon may ~e pro~ide~ to prevent
the releas~ of the p~e~ure generat~d by the heat
gene~ating elem~n~ toward the li~ui~ cham~er. In s~ch
a case, the ~ross~sectional a~ea o~ the thro~t portion
6hould not be too ~mall in con~ideration o~ the
15 ~ufficient refilling of the liquid.
Ho~ever, in the ca~e ~f thls em~odiment, much
ar most of the ~jected liquid is from t~e first li~uid
flow path, and the bubble gener~tion liquid in the
second liquld ~ow path having the heat ~enerating
2~ element i~ not con~umed much, so that the filling
amount of the bubble generation liquid to the bubble
generatlon ~egion 11 may ~e ~all. Thereforer the
cl~a~ance at ~he throat portiun 19 can be made very
r.mall, for example, as ~mall as se~eral ~m - ten and
se~eral ~m, 60 that ~he release of the pre66ure
- p~odueed ln the ~econd llquid flow path can be fu~ther
suppressed and to further concentrate it to the

21860~3
-5~-

~ovable membe~ ~ide. The pre~ure can be used ~s ~he

ejection press~re through the movable member 31, and
therefore, the high eiection ene~gy u$e efficiency
and eiection pressure can be ~ccomp~i6hed. The
configuration of the second liquid flow path 16 is not
limit~d to the on~ descri~ed above, but may be any i~
the pressure pro~uce~ ~y the bubble generation i6
effectively transmitted to the moYa~le memDer side.
As shown in ~igure 13, (c~, the lateral ~ides
of the ~ovable mem~er ~1 cover respective p~rts of the
walls constituting the second liquid flow path ~o that
the falling o~ the mo~able m~mber 31 into th~ second
liquid ~low path i~ pr~vented. By d~ing xo, the
above-de~cribed separation b~tween the ejection liquid
and the b~b~le generation liquld i8 fu~the~ PnhAnrod
Furthermore, the relea~ o~ the ~ubble through the
~lit can be suppre~ed 80 tha~ e~e~tion pres~ure and
ei~ction efficiency ure ~urther in~rea~ed. Mo~eov~r,
the a~v~ described e~ect of the re~illing from the
up~tream ~ide ~y the pressure upon the collapse of
bubble, can be further enhance~.
In Fi~re 11. (b) and Figure 12, a part ~
~he b~h~le ~enerated in the bubble generation region
o~ the ~econ~ llquid flow path 4 with the di~placement
of the mo~able member 6 to the fir~t liguid ~low path
14 side, extend6 into the fi~st liquid flow path 14
side by ~electing the height of the ~ron~ flow path



-51- 21 ~6~73

to permit 8UC~ extenslon of the bu~le, the ejection
force is further improved a6 compared with the case
without suc~ ~xten~ion af the bubble. To prcYi~e such
ex~en~ing of the bubble into the first liquid flow
5 p~th 14, the height of the ~e~ond liquid flow path 16
i~ preferably lower than the height of the ~ m
bubble, more p~rt~cularly, the hei~ht is prefera~ly
several ~m - 30 ~m, for example. I~ this example, the
helght is 15 ~.
lU cMovable mem~er and partltion wall~
Figure 14 show~ anhther example of the
mo~able m~.~her 31, whereln re~erence ~umeral 35
designates a ~lit formed in ~he par~ition wall, and
the sli~ i~ effective to provlde the movable mem~er
31. In Flgure 15, ta~, the movable member has a
~ectangular configuration, and ln ~b~, it is na~rower
in the fulcrum si~e to permit increased mo~llity of
the mov~ble member, and in (c), it haæ a wider fulcrum
~ide to ~h~ the durability of the moYabl~ m~m~er.
The ~onfiguration narro~ed and arcuated at ~he ~ulcr~m
side i~ desirable a6 sho~n in Figure 14, (a), ~inc~
~oth of easine6s of motio~ an~ durability ~re
satisfied. Howe~er, the configurat~on of the mo~able

memb~r ~ ~ not limited to the one d~scribed abo~e, ~ut
i~ may be any if it doe6 not enter the se~o~A liquia
flo~ path side, and motion i~ easy with high
durabilit~.


-
-52- 21 86a73

In the ~oregoing embo~i r-nts, the plat~ or
film ~o~able me~ber ~l ~nd the s~par~tion wall 5
havin~ this ~ovable membe~ ~as made of a nickel havlng
a thickne~ of 5 ~m, but ~his is not limited to this
5 example, but it may ~e any if i~ ha~ anti-~ol~ent
property against the ~ubble generatlon liqui~ and the
ejection li~uid, and if the elasticit~ i8 enouyh to
ps~mit the operation of the mova~le member, and if the
requir~d fine slit c~n be formed
P~eferable examplex of the mate~ial~ for the
moY~le member in~lude durable materials such as metal
~uch as 51 lver, nick~l, gold, iron, titanium,
alumin~m, pla~inum, tantalum, ~tainle~s steel,
pho6phor bron~e or the liket alloy thQreofr or resin
15 material ha~ing nyt-ril group ~uch ~ acrylonitrile,
~utadiene, stylene or the like, resin material ha~ing
amide group such ah polyamide or the like, re~in
material ha~ing carboxyl ~uch a~ polycarbo~ate or the
like, resin material having al~eh~de group ~uch a~
2~ polyacetal or the like, resin material having sulfon
grou~ such as polysulfone, resin material such as
liquid cry~l polymer or the like, or ~hemical
d t~ereo~; or material~ having durability
agalnst the ink, ~uch ~s metal ~ch as gold, tu~gsten,
25 ~antalum, nickel, 6tainlesY steel, titanium, alloy
thereof, materlals coated ~ith 8uch metal, resin
material having amlde group 6uch as polyamide, resin


2186~73
-53-



m~terial havlng aldehyde gro~p 6uch a~ pol.ya~etal,
resin material ha~ing ketone g~oup such a~
polyetheretherke~one, resin material having imide
~roup ~uch as polyi~ide, ~esin material h~ing
5 hydrox~l group such a~ phenolic re6in, resin materlal
havi~g etnyl gr~up such a~ polyethylene, resin
materlal having al~yl group such as polYp~opylene,
re6in material havin~ epoxy group such a~ epoxy resin
material, resin materia~ having amina group such as

~. me~ ine reOEin ma~3ri~1, resin materiAl haY~ng
methylol group such a~ xylene resin m~terial, chemical
compound thereof, ceramic m~terlal such as ~ilicon
dioxide or che~ical compound thereof.
P~efe~able example~ of partition or division
15 wall in~lude resin material ha~ing high heat-
resistive, high anti-solvent property and hlgh molding
prope~ty, more particularl~ recent engineering pla~tlc
resin mat~rials suc~ ~5 polyethylene, polypropylen~,
polyamide. polyethylene terephthalate, ~elamine re~in
20 m~terial, phenolic resin, epoxy resin material,
polybutadiene, polyurethane, pol~et~eretherketone,
polye~her sulf~ne, polyallylate, polyimide, poly--
sulfone, liqutd crystal pol~mer (LCP), or chemical
compound thereof, or metal Yuch a~ ~ilicon dioxide,
25 silicon nitride, nickel, gold, ~tainless ~teel, alloy
thereo~, c~emi~al compound thereof, or material~
coated wi~h tltanium o~ yold.



~54~ 2t ~6073

The thlckness ~f ~he ~eparatlon wall i~
determined depen~ ng on the ~SQd mater~al and
configuration from ~h~ stAn~r~lnt of su~ficient
strength a~ the ~all and ~ufficient operatlvlty as the
5 movable membe~, and generally, 0.5 ~m - 10 ~m appro~.
i~ desirable.
The width o~ the slit 35 for proYiding the
movable member ~l is 2 ~m in th~ ~ ment~. When
the ~u~ble gene~ation liquid and ejection liquld are
different materials, an~ mixture of the liquid~ i8 to
be av~ide~, the gap is determined so as to form a
menisc~s ~etween the Iiquid~, thu~ a~oiding mixture
therebet~een For example, when ~he bubble generation
liquid has a vlxcosity about 2 cP, and the eiection
liqui~ has a visc~ity not le~6 than 100 cP, 5 ~m
approx. slit is enough to av~id the liquld mixture,
but not mor~ than 3 ~m is desira~le.
c~lement ~ub~t~ate>
The dH cription wlll be made a~ to a
~0 st~ucture of the element ~u~str~te pr~vided with the
heat gensrating element for heating the ll~uid.
Figure 15 is a longit~ n~l ~ctio~ of the
liquid eje~ting head accordlng to an embodiment c~ the
present in~entlon, wherein (a) ha~ ~ protection layer,
and (b) doe~ not have a protection iayer .
On the ele~ent eubstrate l, a 9LOO~r~ ~ember
50 i8 mounted, the member 50 having secon~ liquid flow



-55- ~ 1 86~7~

paths 16, separation ~alls 3~, flræt li~auid flow paths
14 and groovç~s for conE;ti~ting the flrst licIuid f~ow
path .
The element ~iu~strate 1 ha~, as xhown $n
5 Figure 11, p;~tterrled wiring electrode ~.2 - 1.0 ~m
thlc~k) of aluminuln o~ the like and patterned electric
re~ z~nce layer 105 ~0.01 - 0.2 llm thick) of ha~nium
boride (HfB2~, tantalum nitride (TaN), tantalu~
alu~inum (TaAl ~ or the like con~tituting the heat
1~ generating element on a silicon oxide film or 6ilicon
nitride fllm 10~ ~or ins~l~tion and heat accumulation,
which in turn is on the substrate ~07 af silico~ or
the like A voltage is appl~e~ to the resi~tance
layer 1~5 through the two wiring electro~e~ 104 to
flow a current through the resist~ce l~er to effect
heat generat~on. Between the wi~ing elec~rode, a
pr~tection layer o~ silicon oxide, silieon nitrlde ar
the like of O.1 - 2.0 ~m thick is pro~ided ~n the
r~si~tance layer, and in addition, an antl-cavitation
laYer of tantalum or the like (0.1 - 0.6 ~m thl~k) ls
for~ed t~ereon to protect the re~i~tanCe layer 105

from various li~uid such as ink.
The pre~sure and shock wave generated upon
the bub~le gener~tion and collapse is so strong that
Z5 the durability of the oxide film which i8 relatively
irag$~e i~3 deteriorated. Therefore, metal material
such as tan~alum ~a) or the like 1s u~ed a~ th~ an~i-

2186073


cavitation layer.
The protection layer may ~e omitted ~epen~in~
on t~e combination of liquidr liquid flow path
structure an~ re~istanc~ material. One o~ such
5 example~ is shown in Figure 4, (b). The ~ate~al of
the resis~ance layer not requiring the protection
layer, inclu~es, for e~ample, iridium-tantalu~-
alumlnum allo~ or the like. Thu~, the structure of
the heat generat~ng element in the foregoing
1~ embodiments may include onl~ the resi~tance layer (heat
generation portion) or m~y include a protection la~er
for protecti~g the resistance la~er
In ~he em~odlment, the heat gene~ating
~lement has a heat generatlon portion having the
~esistance layer which generates heat in respon~e to
the elec~ric s~gnal. This is not llmitin~, and it will
suffice if a bubbl~ enough to eject the eJectlon
liquid is cre~ted in th~ ~bble generation liquid
For e~:a~ple, he~t generation portion may be in the
20 form of a photothermal tranE~ducer ~qhich generate~ heat
upon receiving light su~h as laser, or the on~ which
g~nerates heat upon receiving high f ~equ~ncy wave .
On the element substrate 1, function elements
such as a transi~;tor, a diode, Zl l~tch, El 8hift
25 regi~ter and so on $or ~eleeti~e driv~ng the
electrot.hPr~l tran~iducer elelnent may also be
integrally built in, in addition to the resistance

-



-57- 21 ~6~73

layer 105 constituting the heat generation portlon an~
the electrothermal tran~ducer consti~uted by the
wiring electrode 104 for supplying the electrlc signal
to the re~i~tance layer.
In order to eject the liquid by driving the
heat generation portlon of the electro~hermal
~ransd~cer ~n the ~ove-de~cribed element su~strate 1,
the resistance layer 105 i~ supplied ~hrough the
wiring elec~r~de 104 wi~h rectangular pulses a~ ~hown
1~ in Figure 21 to cause ins~ntaneous heat generation in
the resistance layer 105 between the wiring electrode.
In the case of the heads of the foregoing em~odlments,
the applie~ e~ergy has a voltage of Z4 V, a pul~e
width of 7 ~sec, a current o~ 150 mA and a frequency
15 of 6kHz to drive the heat generating element, by ~hich
th~ liquid $nk is ejec~ed through the e~ection ou~let
through the process descri~ed hereinbefore However,
the driving signal conditions are no~ limited ~o this,
but may be any if the bubble generation liquid i~
p~operly capable of bubble generation.
<Head ~tructure of 2 flow path ~tructure~
The description will be made as to a
~tructure of the ~iquid ejectlng head with which

di~feren~ liquids are separately ~c~ ted in f irst
25 and second common liquid chamber, and the number o~
part~ can ~e reduces 80 that the manufacturing cost
can be r~


-5~- 2~8 6073



Fig~re 17 is a schcmatic view o~ such a
li~uid eje~ing ~d. The Qame reference num~rals a~
in the pre~ious emboA~ - L are ass$gne~ ~o the
element6 ha~ing the corre~ponding funct$onc, ~nd
5 detailed descriptions thereo~ are omitted for
simpl lcity .
In this embodiment, a grooved m---nh~r 50 ha~
an orifice plate Sl having an ejection outlet 18, a
plur~lity cf groove~ for co~s~ituting a plu~ality o$~
l~ first llquid flow path~ 14 and a reces6 for
constitu~ing ~he first common liquid chamber 15 ~or
supplying the liq~id (e~ection liquid) to the
plurality of liquid flow p~ths 14. A ~eparation wall
30 is mounted ~o the bot~m of the grooved member 50
by w~ich plurallty of firs~ uid flow paths 14 are
formed. Such a yLO~v~d member 50 has ~ flrst liquid
~upply pas~age ~0 extending from an upp~r po~ on to
the first __ .. liquid ~h~ 15. The g~oo~ed
member 50 also ha~ a ~cond liquid supp~y pas~ge 21
2~ extending from an upper position to the seco~d ~- -n
liyuid r.hamber 17 through th~ ~paration wall ~0.
A~ indicated by an arrow ~ in Figu~e 17, the
fir~t liq~id (eje~tion liquid) is supplied throug~ the
fir~t liquid 6upply pas~ge 20 and ~rst ~ uid
ch~mber 15 to the first liquid flo~ path 14, and the
6econd liquid (b~bble generation liquid~ upp~ied to
the second liquid flow path 16 through the c^Onn~


-
~59~ 2186073

liquid ~pply passage 21 and the se~nd common liquid
chamb~r 17 as indicated by arrow ~ ln Figure 17.
In thi~ example the ~econd liquid supply
passag~ 21 i8 e~t~nded ln parallel with the fir~t
liq~ia supply pan~age ~0, but ~hi~ is not limited to
the exemplification, but it may be any if the liquid
is ~upplied to the second common liquid ch~mher 17
throush the separati~n wall 30 out~ide the first
common liquid chamber 15.
The (diameter~) o~ the second liq~id ~upply
p~ssage 21 i~ determi~ed in con~ide~ation of the
supply amo~nt of ~he se~ond liguid. Th~ configuration
of the sec~nd liqui~ supply passage 21 i8 not limited
to circu~ar or round ~ut m~y be r~tangular or the
like.
The sec~nd c~mm~n 11qul~ ch~mh~r 17 ~ay be
formed by dividing the grooved ~y a ~eparation wall
30. A8 for the method o~ for~ing thiæ~ a~ ~h~wn ln
Fig~re 18 which is an exploded perspe~tive view, a
ZO common l~quid chA~hQr f~ame and a sec~nd liquid
passage wal1 are ~ormed of a dry film, and a
combi~ation of a yLOO~d member 50 having the
sep~ration wall ~ixed thereto and th~ ~lemen~
~b6trate 1 are bonded, thus ~orming the sQC~onA common
25 liquid chamber 17 and the ~3econd liquid flow path 16
In this example, the element æu~trate 1 is
constituted ~y pro~iding the supporting ~em~er 70 of

-



~~4- 2 186~13

~etal such as aluminum with a plurality of
electrothermal transducer element~ as heat gener~ing
ele~ent~ ~or generating heat for bubble generation
~r~m the bubble generation ~iquid through film
bolllng.
A~oYe the element s~bs~rate 1, the~e ~e
disp~ed ~he plural~ty of groove~ consti~uting th~
liquid fl~w path 16 ~ormed bY the ~cnn~ liquid
pacs~ge w~lls, the recess for constituting the second
common llquid chamber ~common ~u~ble generation liquid
chamber) 17 whlch is i~ ~lu~ ~ommunication ~lth the
plurality of bubble gener~tion l~qui~ flow pat~s for
supplying th~ bubble generation liquid to ~he bu~le
generation ~iquid pa~ages, and the ~eparati~n or
dividing ~alls 30 ha~lng the movable w~ll~ 31.
Designated ~y r~ference n~meral 50 ia a
g~Go~ed member. The groov~d m mher i8 provided with
yLo~es for con~tituting the e]ection liguid flow
paths (fir~t liquid ~lo~ path~) 14 by mo~nting the
~eparation wall~ 30 thereto, a rece~ for constitu~lng
the first common liquid chamber ~common ~jection
liquid çh~m~r) lS for supplying the e~ectlon liquid
to the e~ection liq~id flow path~, ~he ~irst 6upply
passage (ejection liquid supply p~s6age) :~0 for
25 Is~pplying the ejection li~uid to the ~lr~t common
liquld ~ha h~r, and ~he ~econ~ supply pa~age (~ubb~e
generati~n liguid ~upply pas6age) 21 ~or supplying the


-



21 ~6073
bubble generation liquid to the 6eoond supply pass~ge
(bu~ble generation liquid supply passage~ 21A The
~econd supply pa~age 21 is connected with a fluid
e~- -ication pat~ in ~luid com-.lnication wlth th~
second common liquid chamber 17, penetrating through
the separation wall 30 disposed outside of the fir~t
~ommon liquid chamhe~ 15. By the pro~i~ion of the
fluid c~mmunicatlon path, tne bu~ble generation liquid
can be ~pplied to the ~eco~d ~ liquid chamber 15
withou~ miæture with the e~ecticn liquid
~ he po~itional relatlon among the element
sub~t~ate 1, separation wal 1 30, grooved top plate 50
i6 ~llch that the movable members ~1 are arranged
corre~ponding to the he~t generating e~ements on the
element sub~trate 1, and that the e~ection liquid flow
paths 14 ~re arranged corresponding to ~he movable
me~ber~ 31. In this example, one second supply
p~s~age i~ ~rovided for the gL~o~cd member, but it may
be plural in accordanoe with the ~pply ~ unL The
crosQ-~ectional area of the flow path of the ejection
llquid ~upply pa~age 20 and the ~ubble generat~on
l~quid suppl~ passa~e 21 may be determined in
prop~rtion to the ~upply a~ount. B~ t~e optimi~ation
o~ the cross-seetional area of the f low path, the
25 par~s consti~uting the ~.~ov~ mPmher 50 or the like
can be down6ized
As ~escribed in the foregoing, accordiny to



2186073
thi~ embodiment, the second supply passage ior
supplying the ~econd liquid to the second liquid flow
path ~nd the irst ~pply passage for 6upplying the
firs~ liquid ~o the fir~t liquid flow p~th, can be
5 provided b~ ~ single groo~ed top plate, ~o that the
number of part~ can be r~ , and therefore, the
reduct~on ~f the manufacturing xteps an~ therefore the
reduction of the manufacturing cost, are accompll~hed.
~urthermore, the supply of the second 1 iquid
10 to the second common liquid chamb~r in fluid
c~ l1cation with the ~ro~d liquid flow path, is
effected through the second liquid flo-~7 path ~hich
penetrates ~he ~eparatioT~ wall for sepa~ating the
first liquid and the second liquid, and there~ore, one
15 bonding ~tep is enough for the ~onding of the
separation wall, the grooved -. h~r and the heat
generat~ng elemerlt Eiubstrate~ so that the
manufacturing i8 easy, and the accuracy of the bonding
i s improved .
Since the second liquid i~ ~upplied to the
second liqui~ common llquld ~h~ r. penetrating the
separatlon wall, the suppl~ of ~he ~econ~ liquid to
the second 1$qu1d flow path i8 a~s~re~, and therefore,
th~ ~upply amOunt i~ suffic~ent ~o that the ~tabilized
ejectlon is accomplishe~
cEiectio~ liquid and nuh~le generation liquid>
As describe :1 in the foregolng embs~i. . t,


-6~-
2 ~ 86073

according to the pre~ent in~ention, ~y the structure
having the movable member described abo~e, the liquid
c~ be ejected ~t hi~her e~ection force or eiection
efficiency than the conventional ll~uid ejecting head.
5 When the same liqui~ ~ u~ed for the bubble generation
li~uid an~ the ejection li~id, ~t is possible that
the li~ui4 i5 not de~eri~rated, ~n~ ~hat deposition on
the ~eat generating element due ~o heating can be
red~ Therefore, a reversi~le state change is
accomplishe~ by repeating the ga~sification and
r~n~en.sation. So, ~ariou~ liquids ~re usable, lf the
liquid i~ the one not deteriorating the liqui~ flow
passage, movab~e member o~ separation wall or the
llke.
Among such liquids, the o~ haYing the
in~redient a~ used in ~onventional b~bble jet device,
can ~e used a~ a recording liquid.
When the two flo~-path structure o~ the
pre~ent inve~tion i8 u~ed with di~erent ejection
liquid an~ ~u~ble generation liquid, the bubble
generation liqul~ having the above-de~cribed proPerty
is used, m~re partlcularly, the exA ple~ include~:
me~hanol, ethanol, n-propyl ~lcohol, is~propyl
alcohol, n- n-heYAn~, n-heptane, n-octane, toluene,
xylene, meth~lene ~ichlorlde, trich7oroethylene, Freo~
TF, Freon ~, ethyl ether, dioxane, cycloheY.~ne,
methyl acetate, ethyl ace~te, acetone, methyl ethyl


-64- 2186073

ketone, water, or the like, and a mixt~re thereof.
A~ for the e~ection li~uid, various ~iquid~
are usable without paying attention to the degree ~f
bubble gen~ration property o~ ~hermal pr~perty. The
li~uid~ ~hich ha~e ~t been co~ventionally usable,
because of low bubble generation praperty and/or
ea~iness of property chan~e due to heat, are usable.
Howeve~, it is de~ired that the eje~tion
liquid ~y itself or by reaction with the bubble
generat~on li~uid, does not impe~e the ejection, the
bub~le generatlon or the ~peration of the movable
mem~er or the llke.
As for the recording e~ection liquid, high
Yiscous ink or the like is u~able As for a~other
ejectlon ll~u~, pharm~ceuticals and perfume or the
like having a na~ure easily deteriorated ~y heat is
usable. The ink of the fallowlng lngre~ient was used
as the recordiny liguid u6able for both of the
ejeotion liquid and the ~ubble generation llguld, ~nd
2~ the recording operation wa~ carried o~t. Slnce the
ejection ~p~ed of the lnk is increa~ed, the shot
accur~cy of the liquid droplets is imp:roved, a~d
the~efore, highly desir~le images were recorded
Dye ink vi~cosity of 2~p:
~C . I . food black 2 ) dye 3 wt .
diethylene ~lycol 10 wt. ~
Thio diglycol 5 wt %


-65- 2 1 86073

Ethanol 5 wt
Water 77 wt. -%
Recording operationg were al~o carried out
u6ing the following com~i~ati~n of tne liquld~ for the
5 bubble generation liquid and the ejection liquid. As
a result, the liquid having a ten and several cp~
vi6co~ity, whi~h was unable to be ejected heretofore,
~as properly ej~cted, and even 150cp~ liqui~ was
properl~ ejected to provide h$gh quality imag~.
Bubble genera~ion liquid 1:
Ethanol 40 wt. %
Water . 60 w~.
~ubble generati~n llquid 2:
water lO0 wt. %
15 Bubble generati~n llquid 3;
Isopr~pyl alcohollc 10 wt. ~
Water 90 wt~ %
~jectinn ll~uld l
(Pigment ink approx. 15 cp~
Carbon black 5 wt
Stylene-a~rylat~-acr~late ethyl
copolymer resi~ materl~l1 wt. %
Disper~ion material ~oxide 140,
weight average molecular weight)
Z5 Mono-etha~ol a~ine 0.2~ w~.
Glyceline 69 wt. %
Thiodiglycol 5 wt. ~


-66- 2 ~ 86073

Ethanol
Water 16 . 75 w~
Ejection liquid 2 (55cp):
Polyethylene glycol 200 100 wt.
5 ~jection li~id 3 ~150cp~:
Polyethylene glycol 600 100 wt. ~
In the case of the liquid ~hich has not been
easily e~ected, the ejection speed 1~ low, and
therefore, the ~ar~ation in the ejection dlrectlon is
expanded on the recordins paper with the re~ult of
poor shot accurhcy. Additionally, variation of
eje~tion amount occurs due to the ejection
in~ta~illty, thus pre~enting the recording o~ high
qu~lity image. However, ~ccording to the embodimen~s,
the u~e of the bu~ble generation liq~id permit~
sufficient and ~tabilized generation of the bubble
Thu~, the improvement in the shot ac~uracy of the
llguld droplet and the ~ta~ilization of the ink
eJect~on ~ nl can ~e accompllshed, t~us improv~ng
the recor~ed i~age quality remarka~ly.
<Liquid e~ectlon head ~a~tridge~
The descrlp~ion will ~e maae a~ to a ll~uld
e~ection head cartridge havlng ~he liquid ejecting
head of th~ fo~3going ex~nple.
Figure l9 $æ a ~c~ematic explode~ perspectlve
view of a llquid ejection head cartridge lnclud~ng the
above-described liquld e~ecting head, and tne liquid


-67- 2186073

ejectlon head cartri~ge ~ompri~e~ yenerally a liquid
ejecting head portion Z01 an~ a liquid c~nt~iner 80.
The liquld ejectin~ hea~ portlan 201
compriees an element substrate 1, a separatl~n wall
30, a grooved member 50, ~ c~nflning spring 78, liquid
supply member 90 and a ~upporting member 70. The
element ~ub~trate 1 is provided with a plurality of
heat generat~ng re~istors ~or ~upplying heat to the
bubble generation liquid, as descri~d hereinbefor~.
A bubble generation l~quid pa~sage is formed between
the element ~ubxtrate 1 and the separation wall 30
ha~ing the movable wall. By the coupling between the
separati~n wall 30 and th~ ~rooved top plate 50, ~n
eJection flow path (un~hown) f~r fluid c~ ni catiOn
15 wlth the eiec~ion liquid is formed
The c~nfining spring 78 functions to urge the
grooved member 50 to the element ~u~strate 1, and i~
effec~iYe to prQperly integ~ate the element su~strate
1, sep~ration wall 3~, groo~ed and the s~pportlng
20 member 70 which will be descr~be~ ~ereinafter.
Support~ng member 70 func~ions to ~uppor~ ~n
element substrate 1 or the like, and the supporting
member 70 has thereon a circuit board 71, ~onnected t~
the element sub~trate 1, for ~upplying the electric
6ignal thereto, and contact pads 7Z for electrlc
signal transfer ~etween the device ~ide when the
cartridge is mo~nted on the apparatus.


21 86073
- --68--

The liquid container 90 contain~i the ejection
llquid such as ink to be ~3upplied to the liqu~d
ejecting head and the b~bble generation liquid for
~ub~le generation, separately. T~e outE;ide of the
5 liquid container 9~ is pro~ided with a positioni~g
porti~n g~ for mounting a ~onn~cting member for
connec~ing tne liquid e~ecting he~d with the liquid
container and ~ f~xed shaft 95 for fixing the
connection portion The ejection l~quid is s~pplied
to the e~ection liq~id supply passage 81 of a liq~d
~upply m~mber ~0 thr~ugh a supply pass~g~ 84 o~ the
~onnecting mem~er f~om the ejection llquid supply
passage 92 o~ the liquid container, and is supplied to
a first co ~n liquid chamber through the ej~ction
liquid supply pacsages B3, 71 and 21 of the member~. -
The bu~ble gener~tion liquld is ~imilarly supplied to
the bubble generation liquid supply passage 8~ of the
liquid supPly member 80 thr~ugh the aupply passage of
the connect~ng member from the ~upply pas~age 93 of
the li~uid container. and is supplied to the ~ on~
llquld chamber ~h~ou~h the bubble generation liquid
~upply pa~age 84, 71, ZZ of the ~en~e~s. In such a
liquid e~ectlon hea~ cartridye. e~en if the b~le
genera~i~n liqui~ and the e~ection li~ui~ are
25 different li~uids, the liquid~3 are supplied i~ good
order~ in the ca~e that the ejection liquid and the
bubble gene~ation llquid ~re the same, the ~upply path



-69- 2 ~ ~-6~73

for the bubble generation liq~d and ~he ejection
liquid ~re not neces~ril~ separated.
After the liquid i6 used up, the liquid
cont~iners ~la~ be supplled with the ~e~pective
S liquids To facilitate thi~ ~upply, the liquid
container is desirably provided with a liquld
in~ec~ion por~. The li~uid e~ecting head and the
liquid container may be integral wlth each other or
separate f rom each other .
10 <liquid ejecting apparatul3~
Figure 20 s~hematlca~ly show a ~tructure of a
liquid ejecting apparatu~ ha~ing the above-described
liquid ejecting head ~Ol. In this e~ample, the
ejection liquid i~ ink. The apparatus is an ink
e~ection ~ecording apparatus. the liquid ejecting
de~lce comprises a carriage HC to which the head
cartridge compri~ln~ a liquid cont~in~r portio~ 90 ~nd
liquid ejectlng he~ portion ZOl w~ich are detachably
cannect~ble ~ith eacn ~her, ls mounta~le. thç
20 carrlage HC is reciProcahle ~n ~ dlrectlon of widt~ of
the recording ma~er~al 150 6UCh as a recordlng sheet
o~ the like fe~ by a reco~ding m~erl 1 transporting
mean6
Wh~n a d~i~ing signs~l i6 supplled to the.
liquid ejecting means on the carriage from un~ho~
driYing signal supply means, the ~ecording li~uid i~
ejected to the recoraing m~terial from the l~quia


_70_ 2186073

eiecting he~d 201 in re~ponse to the signal
The 1 iquid e~ ecting apparatu~ of this
~mbo~iment comprises a motor 111 as a driving source
for dri.ving the recording mater~l tran~porting means
and t:t~e carriage, gears 112, 113 for transtmitting
the power ~rom the driving source to the car~iage, ~n~
~arriage shaft 18 5 and ~o on By the recording
device and the liquid e~ec~ing ~e~hod, satisfactory
print can be pro~ided on Y~rious recordi~g materials.
10 When the liquid ejecting method is ~arried out ~or
various recording material~.
Figure 21 is a block diagram of the enti~ety
of the device for carrying out ink e~ection recording
~l~ing the liquid ejectinS~ head and the li~uid ejec~ing
15 meth~d of ~he pre~ent invention
The recarding app~ratu~ receiv~s printing
data in ~he ~orm of a control signal ~rom a host
camputer 300. The p~in~n~ aata 1~ temporarily s~ored
in an lnput ln~erface 301 of the prlntlng app~ratu~,
and at the same timR, ls converted into proce~able
data ~o be inpu~ted to a CPU 302, which dou~les as
~e~ns for supplying a head driYing s$gnal. The CPU
30~ proces6e& the afor~ Lione~ ~ata lnputted to the
CPU 302, into printable d~ta (image ~ata), by
25 pro~e~ing them with the u~e of peripheral unitg su~h
as RAMs 304 or the like, following control programs
st~red in an ROM 303.



-71- 2~ 86~73

Further, in order to record the image data
onto an appropriate spot on a recording 6heet, the CP~
30~ gener~tes drivin~ da~a for drivi~g a driving motor
which moves t~e recordlng sheet and the recording head
in synchronl~m wi~h the image da~a. The image data
and th~ motor drlvlng data are transmitted to a he~d
200 and a driving motor 306 through a head driver 307
and a motor dri~er 305, respectlvely, which are
controlled with the proper timings ~or ~orm~ng an
imag~.
When the ejection power ref~e~hin~ op~ration
is required a~ after rest of the head, the CPU30~
suppli~s refreshing operation instructions to the
recovering device 310 including the suction recover~
de~ice 200. The reco~ering device 310 ha~ing recei~d .
the eje~tion power recovery instructions, carrie~ out
the ~eries of operations $or the reco~ery o~ the
eject.ion power of the head cn the basi~ of suction or
pr~ssuriS~ing rec~overy ~eque~ce
As for recordlng medium, to which liquid such
as lnk is ~dhered, and wn~ch 1~ us~ble with a
recordi~g apparatus ~uch a~ the one described above,
th~ follow~ng can be ~is~ed; various ~nee~s of paper;
OHP ~heets; plastic materlal u~ed ~or forming compact
disks, ornamental plates, or the like fabric;
metalllc mater~al such as al~ , ~opper, or the
like; leather ma~eri~l such as cow ~idç, plg hide,



_7~_ 2 1 8~73

~ynthetic leather, or the like; lumber material such
as soli~ wood, plYwood, and the like; bamboo material;
cerami~ material such a~ tlle; and m~te~i~l such a~
sponge which,has ~ three ~ ional structure.
The aforementloned recording apparatu~
lnc~udes a printing apparalu6 for various sheets of
paper or OHP sheet, a r~c~rdlng apparatus ~or pl~8tic
mat~rial such a~ pla~tic material used f~r fcrm1ng a
compact dls~ or the like, a recording appa~atus for
10 metallic plate or the like, a recording appa~atus f~r
leather material, a recording apparatus for lumber, a
recording apparatus ~o~ cera~ic material, a recPr~ing
apparatus for three dimensional recording ~edium such
as sponge or the like, a te~tile pri~ti~g apparatu~
for recording image6 on fabric, and the like recordlng
appar~tu~es.
As fo~ the liq~d to be u~ed with these
liq~id eiection aPParatuses~ ~ny liquid is u~able a~
long as it is.compatible with the employed recording
ZO medium, and the recording conditions.
~Rec~r~in~ ~y~tem3
Ne~t, an exemplary ~nk ~et recording 6y~tem
w~ll be desc~ibed, whicn records lma~e~ on recording
medium, using, a~ tne recording hea~, the liquid
25 ejectlon head in accordance with the pre~ent
lnvention.
Figure 2Z is a schematic perspective view o~


_73_ Zl ~6~73

an ink iet recording system employing the
aforement$oned liquid ejectlon he~d 201 in accordan~e
wit~ the present invention, and depict~ its general
structure. The liquid ~jecti~n head in thi~
5 embodiment i~ ~ ~ull-~ine type head, ~hich comprise5
plural ejection orifice~ aligned ~i~h a den~$ty of 360
dpi so as ~o cover the entire recor~le range of the
r~cordin~ medlum 150. ~t c~mpr~ses fo~r head~, ~hich
are corresp~ndent to four col~rs, yellow ~Y~, magent~
(~), cyan (C) and black ~Bk~. ~hese four heads are
fixedly supported by a holder 120Z, in parallel to
each other and with predetermined int~rvals.
The~e heads are driven in re~pon~e to the
signal6 ~upplied from a hea~ driver 30?, which
constitutes means ~or ~upplying a driving signal to
each head.
Each of the four color ink6 ~Y, M, C and Bk)
is ~upplied to a corre~po~dent head ~rom an ink
~.~nt~lner 1204a, 1204b, 1205c or 1204d. A re~erence
20 numeral 1204e designate~ a bubble generation liquid
c~n~lner from which th~ ble yener~tion liquid ~s
delivere~ ~o e~ch head.
~ e~ween the contalner and the each head. the
tube is provided with pressurizing ~ecG~ering devl~
311e, 311a, 311b, 311c, ~r 311d, as shown in the
Flgure The driving me~n~ for the pre~urizing
reccvering device i~ a pressurizing pu~p, and when the



-7~~ 2 t 860~3

recovery for the ejection power o~ the head i~
~ece~sary, the CPU~OZ shown in Figure. 5~ produces
pres6urizing recovery instructions, ~nd the seri~s o~
operation~ ~or the rec~ve~y of the eiection power of
the ~ead is c~iea ou~ on the ~asi6 of ~he
predetermined pressurlzing ~ecovery sequence,
Below each head, there 1~ ~ head cap Z03a -
203d having ink absorptlon member such a~ sp~nge,
which cover~ the ejection outlets o~ e~ch head ~hen
the reçord~ng operation i~ not ~ecte~ to protect the
head.
Designated by reference numeral 206 is a
con~eye~ belt eonstituting ~ in~ means for feeding a
recording materi~l as has been described. The
conveyer belt 206 extends along a predetermined path
using variou~ roller~, and is dr~ven by n dri~ing
roller con~ted with the motor dr~ ver 305 ~
The ink ~et recording system in this
~mhodlment comprises a pre-printin~ processing
apparatu~ 1251 and a po~tprint~ng proce~ing apparatu6
1252, which are dl~posed on the up~tream and
downstream s~d~s, respectively, o~ the lnk jet
recordlng apparatu~, alon~ the recording medium
conveyance psth The~e proce~sing apparatu~es 1251
and 1252 process the recording medium in various
m~nners be~ore or a~ter ~ecordlng is made,
respectl~rely ~


-

-75- 218~6~73

The pre-printing pr~cess and the postprlntlng
proces~ vary dependin~ on the t~pe o~ r~cording
medium, or the type of ink. For e~ample, when
recording medium compose~ o~ metalllc materlal,
5 plast$c ma~erial, ceramio material or the like is
employ~d, the reoording medium i~ expo~ed to ultra-
~iolet ra~s and ozone be~ore printing, acti~ating its
~urface.
In a recording material tendlng to acquire
electric charye, such as plastic resin materi~l, the
du~t tends to deposit on the surface bY static
electricity. The d~t may impede the desired
recording. In ~uch a c~se, the use is made with
ionlzer to remove the static ch~rge of the recordiny
material, tnu~ removing ~he du~t from the recording
material When a textile is a recording material,
from the standpoint of feather~ng p~Q~enti~n an~
impro~ement o~ fixing or the like, a pre-p~oceS~ing
may ~e e~fected wherein ~lkali property su~stance,
ZO ~at~r soluble property su~stance, composition
polymeric, wat~r soluble property metal salt, urea, or
thiourea i~ applied to the textile. The pre-
processing is not limited to this, and it may ~e the
one to pro~ide the recording material with the proper
25 te~pe~ratur~
On the other hand, the po~t-processing is a
process for impartln~, to the recording material


-76- 2 1 ~6~73

having ~ecei~ed the ink, a heat treatment, ultra~lolet
radlation project~on t~ promote th~ fixing of the ink,
or ~ cleanlng for rem~ving the p~ce~ mat~rl~l u~e~
for the pre~treatment and remainlng because ~f no
reaction.
In thi~ em~odim~nt, the hea~ is a ~ull llne
head, but the present $nvention iç of cour~e
applicable to a ~erial type wherein the head i5 moved
along a width of the recording materi~l
In the foregoing, ~o-called edge shooter type
ha~ been descri~e, b~t the pre~n~ invention i~ not
limited to this and is applicable to a so-called 6ide
~hooter t~pe ~ead, for e~ample, shown in Figure 23.
Figure 23 is a ~c~ -tic croxs-sectionaL view
schematic a show~ng an example to ~hich the prexent
lnvention is applied
The liquid e~ec~ing head of this example is a
so-called slde shooter type head, wherein the e~ec~on
outlet ll ls faced su~st~tially parallel t~ ~ nea~
generation ~u~face of the heat generatln~ e~ement 2.
The heat generating element 2 has a ~ize o~ 4B ~m x 46
~m and ls ln t~e form of a heat generating resistcr.
It is mounted on a ~u~trate 1, and generates thermal
energy u~ed to g~nQrate a bubble by film boiling of
liquld as disclo~ed in USP 4,723,129 The ejection
outlet 18 is formed in an orifice plate 51 which i8 an
e jection outlet portion m~terial. T~e orifice plate


~1 860~3
-77-



51 is manufactu~ed from n~ckel through electro-
forming.
A first liquid flow path 14 ~ provided below
the ori~ice plate 1~ ~o th~t lt 1~ directly in fluid
S communlcation with the ejection outlet 11 to f~ow the
liquid therethrough. On the other hand, a second
liquid flow path 16 is provided on the substrate 1 to
f~ow the ~u~ble generation liquid. Retween the first
liquid flow path 3 and the ~econd liquid flow pat~ 16,
1n a separation wall 30 is provided to i~olate the li~uid
flo~ path~. Separation ~all 30 is of a material
having an elafitic, fi~ch as metal. In thi~ example,
the separation wall 30 is of nickel having thickne~
of 5 ~m. Thi~ ~ep~ration wall 30 ~ub~tant$ally
i~olates the e~ction liquid in the first liquid flow
path 14 and the b~bble generation liyuid in the second
llquid flow path 16.
The e~ec~lon liquld ls supplied to the first
liquid flo~ path 14 thro~g~ the firsl supply pa~age
15a from a fir~t common liquld cham~er 5 storlng the
ejection liquid. The ~u~le gener~t~on llquld ~s
supplled to the ~econd liquid ~low path 16 thr~ugh the
ser~n~ ~uppl~ p2ssage 17a from a second common liquid
~h~- h~r 17 storing the bubhle gene~ation liquid The

25 ~lrst common liqui~ chamber 15 and the second common
liquld chamber 1 are iso~ate~ by the partition la. In


thls example, th~ ejecti~n liquid to ~e supplied to

21~6Q~3
-7~-

the fir~t llquid flow path 14, and the ~u~ble
generation l~quid to be supplled to the sec~nd liquid
flow path 16, are of water base ink (a ~ixe~ uid of
ethanol ~n~ water~
~h~ separation wall 5 1~ ~lsposed adjacent
the portion of the projected space of the heat
generatlon surface of the heat g~n~rating element Z
perpendicular to the heat generation surface, and ha~
a pair of mo~able portions 6 o~ flat plate cantilever
conflg~ration, one of which i8 a moYa~le member and
the other is an opposing member opposed t~ the movable
member The movable portion 31 and the heat
genel~ating ~urface a disposed with ~ clearance of 15
~m ~pprox. The free ends 3~ a of ~he movable portion~
3l are oppo~ed to each other with a g~ af approx. 2
~m ~slit 35). De~ignated by 33 is a base portion
functioning as a ~ase portion upon opening of the
mo~a~le portions 31. Sl~t 3S is formed in a plane
$ncludlng a line co~n~cting a cen~e~ po~tion of the
heat generating element 2 and the center portion o~
the ejection outlet l~. In thls example, the s~it ~
i~ ~o narrow that the bubble does not extend through
the E;lit 8 ~round the movable portions 6 before the
n~o~rabl~ por~ion 6 is di~placed, when the bubble
25 growths. At le~st the free end 32 of the mova~le
portion 31 i~ disposed within a region to which the
pressure due to the bubble ext~nd~. In F~gure 23, "A"


_79_ 2 1 86~73

designate~ an upper x~de region (eject~on outlet side)
o~ the movable portion 31 in a stable ~tate, ~nd "B"
designates a lower si~e ~heat generating element side~
reglon.
When heat i~ generated at the heat generatlon
~urface of the he~t generating element 2, and a ~ub~le
i6 generated in the region B, the free end 3~ o~ the
moYable portion 31 i~ instantaneously mo~ed in the
direction of the arrow in Figure 1 namely toward th~a
r~gion A with the base portion 33 functioning a~ a
fulcrum by the pres~ure resultin~ from the gene~ation
and growth of the bubble and by the expanding bubble
per se. By this, the liquid i~ ejected out through
the e~ectlon outlet 18.
In the side ~hooter type liquid ejecting head
having such a stru~ture, the pre~ent lnventlon is
capable o~ ~ro~iding the ~dvantage~s e~eCts that the
refilling of the e~ectlon llquid 15 improved, and t~e
liguid can be e~eeted wl~h hlgh ejecti~n pres~ure. ~nd
20 with high e~ecti~n energy u~e effic~ency.
In this example, the liquld ln thR sec~
liquid ~low path 16 and the liquid in the fi~st li~ui~
flow path 14, are 6ub~tantiall~ iæolated, th~ path~
may be in fluid . ication w~th each other at le~t
at a part thereof, if the liquids are the same, or
they may be mlxed.
In thi6 exa~ple, the free end~ 3Z of the


-80- 2 1 ~6~73

~ovable n~ rs 31 are opposed to e~ch other, but only
one movab~ e ~ember may be enough, depending on the
case .
( Embodiment~ )
S Th~3 desc~iption will be made as to an
en~odiment wherein m~ced liquid o~ the e~ection liquid
and the bu~ble generation liquid, is discharged ~rom
the in~ide, in the separation sy~tem ~he~ein t~
ejection liquid and the bubble generation liq~id are
suppos~d to be su~tantial~y ~eparated
When the bubble ~enerat$on li~uid ~nd the
ejection liquld ~re d~fferent, and are xuppoxed to be
substanti~lly ~eparate~, ~he ~ub~le generation liquid
or the e~ection liqul~ ma~ di~perse into the other, or
they ~i6perse lnto eAch ~ther thro~g~ the ~lit 35
(Figure 2) between the movable me~er 31 an~ the
~eparation wall 30 constitutlng the a~ove-describ~d
valY~ structure, if ~he rest perlo~ (~he ejection
liquid is not e~ected from the ejection head) is ~ery
ZO long. If th~s occur~, mixed liguid i8 produced. If
the ~ixed liquid i~ produced, some problems may arise
at the initial ~tag~ of printing. ~or example,
den~ity non-uniformity or the like may occur; ejection
pe~fo r~ ma~ ~e une~en; feathe~ing of the liquid
may be uneven; or burnt deposit ~y be produced on the
heat generating element when the ejection liquid
c~ntains such a component.


-81- 2 1 860~3

On the other hand, not being llmlted to the
case wherein the eiection liquid and the bubble
generation liqui~ are alfferent, if the re~t period o~
the eje~tion head i~ ~ery long, the visco~ity of the
5 eiection li~uid may be increased to a significant
e~tent due to e~aporation of water, depending on the
length ~f the rest period The vis~osity-increased
e~ection liquid i~ not desirable for the satisfactory
eje~tlon and the rec~rd~d image, and therefore, it is
des~ra~le to exclude the viscosity-incr~ased e~ec~ion
llquid to the ~ut~ide or to decrease the viscosity
thereof...
In the sep r~ion type ejection head, the
ejection liqui~ hav$ng a rel~t~ely high viscosity may
be 8a~isfactorily ejected. But, depend~ng on ~he
eject$on liquid u~ed, it i8 n~c~ssary to set the
visco~ity o~ the ejection liquid at a level lower than
that at the nor~al te~pe~ature h~c~nse of the property
relati~e to the reoord$ng material.
Furth~rmore, under a low temperature
condition, the liquid vi~cosity further increases, and
under ~ low h~mi~ity condition, the evaporation i~
promoted~ In these conditions, the ~iscosity-
i~orea6ed of the liquid is accelerated with the result
25 of ini-luence to the e~ec~ion or to the printing
In this example, the e~clu~ion of mixed
liqyid, the excl~sion of the vi6co6ity-increased


2`~ ~6073
-8~-



ejection llquid, and~or the decrease of t~e vi~co~it
1~ ~r~m~lished by non-printlng e~ection from the
ejection head. In ~he following, the ejection not
ef~ectin~ the recording iç called " prellminary
e~ectlon n,
~First Embodiment)
In thi6 exa~ple, the number of the ejections
ln the preli~i n~ry ejection, is ~eterminated in
accordance with an initial dynamic vi6co~ of the
lQ ejection liquid. The initial dynamic viscosity
repre~ents an initial liquid viscosity a~ter the non-
use or re~t period, and i8 dep~nd~nt upon the length
of the rest time period, if ~he variation of the
~bience factor~ such as the temperat~re, is not
sig~ificant ~n this embodiment, a relation between
the rest time and the inlt~al dynamic viscosity a~ter
a rest period, is det~ in~ted be~orehand (the initial
dynamic vl~co~ity is shown in relation to it), and the
~eliminarY ejectlon ls carrled out in accordance wit~
2~ the re~t per~oa, in the ~ollowin~ manner.
~ ccordi~g to the preliminary e3ection o~ thl~
ex~mple, the temper~ure ri~e ~f the eJec~ion llguld
in the e~ectlon head occurs due to t~e continuous
~riving of th~ heat gene~ating element ~y the
prelimlnary e~ection, so t~at t~e dynamic ~iscofiity i~
decreased. T~s, the dynamic viscosity of the
e~ection llquld lncreased during ~he rest period, i5


2 t ~6373
-83-



~ecreased to p~rmit satisfactory ejection from the
initlal ~ect~ons. Depending on the e~ection liquid
used, the ~p~rati~n ~emperature lthe temperature
. sultable for the eiection) i~ higher than ~he norm~l
5 tempe~ature, ~ut ln such a c~se, the temperatu~e o~
the liq~id i~ incr~ased suickly to the operatlon
te~perature by the continuous ~je~tions b~ the
preliminary ejection. Secondly, ~ven if the mixe~
liquid has been produced, it i~ di~harged from the
ejection no~ by the preliminary ejection.
Thu~, proper preliminary ejection ~an ~e
carried o~t in con~ide~tion of ~arlous am~ient
conditions, by determinating beforeh~nd the relation
between the viscosity increa~ and the ambient
15 temperature or humidity
Figure 24 ls a flow chart showing the process
carried out ln the liguid ejection recording device in
thiS example.
A~ ~hown ln the Flgure, the prelimina~y
2~ ejecti~ of thi~ example is c~rrled out ~t various
timings in the proce~s bein~ execute~, ~nd the
e~ection mode ls d~feren~ if the timing .i s diffe~ent,
as wil7 be ~escr~ bed hereln~fter.
Th~ procu~si is ~;tartecl upon hard power ON.
that ls, by connecting the pow~r suppl~ code to the
plug~ I~ the rest period ç~ce~s 7Z hour~ (steps Sl,
S~), a t~mer prelimin~ry e~ec~ion process is effe~ted


2 1~6073
-84-



(6tep S3). Upon soft p~wer O~, tha~ iq, uPon
actua~ion ~f the main ~wltch of the r~cording device
~step S5), the preliminary ejection for ~oft power ON
is carr~ed out (step S6)
S Whe~ the head exchange is carrie~ out (6~ep
S7~, a preli~i~ary ejecticn ~or head exchange is
carried out t~t~p S~). When suction recovery or
w~ping ~s carried out ~tep Sg, Sll), preliminary
ejection ~or suction reco~ery or prelimin~ry ejection
for wlping, are carried out (s~ep S10, Sl~).
After completion of such process upon the
soft power O~, ~ st~nd-by ~equen~e operations are
carried o~t, and the preli inA~y ejection i8 ~arried
out therein (step S13). Upon the start of the
recording opera~ion, the preli j ~ry ejection i~
carri~d ~ut as a part of the recovery sequence during
the recor~ing operation (step S14~.
Upon ~oft power O~ at ~he recordin~
com~letio~ ~step S15), th~ prelimln~ry e~ection for
20 the recovery sequence for the ~o~t pawer OFF, is
carried out (~tep S16~.
Flgures 25 - 29 show details o~ xequential
op~rations ~escri~e~ wl~h F~gure 24. Figure ~5 OEhows
the recoYery sequcnce at the time o~ the soft power
Z5 O~; Figu~e 2~ shows the recovery sequence at the time
of the hea~ exchange: F1gure 27 shows the sequence at
the time of the stand-~y; F$gure 28 shows four


2`~6073
-85-



recovery sequence opera~ions during recording
operation; and Figure 29 shows the recovery ~equence
at the ~ime of the soft power OFF.
As shown in Fiyure 25, the preliri~ry
eiection in the se~uence at the time of the soft power
ON, is carried out ~step S306~ after the wlp~ng (st~p
S307), bef~re elapse of 7Z hou~s after the re~re~hing
proce6~ by the e~ection liquid suction ~step S303): is
carried out ~step ~307) after ~he suctlon operation
~step S304) when 7~ hour~ elap~es or ~hen ink leakage
occurs.
As shown in, Figure ~6, i~ the recovery
æequence at the time of the head ~Yrh~n~e~ the
preli~i~ry ejection i8 earried out eith~r after the
suction oper~tion (~tep S405) or after the ~ipin~
(step 8407), depending on whether the ink leskage
occur~ or not
In the xequence at the time o~ the stand-by
state, ~ shown in Figure 27, th~ preli n~ry eiection
20 iB carried out ~step SS09) fo~ each 12 ~ec elap~e
auring ~he transfer stand-by of the recarding da~a
(s~ep s504) The prellmlnary e~ection i8 carried out
after the wiping ~step s506, S511~ lf 1~ æec elapse

(st~p S510~ wl.thout feeding of the ~ec:c~rding pape~ and
a~ter $ prelimin~ry ejection operations are carried
out ~s~ep S505).
In the four recordln~ operatlons æho~n ln


-86- 2 1 &6073

Figure ~8, the recovery ~quence is carr~ed out a~ an
interruptiny process. The proces~ of step S601 i
executed when 72 ho~r~ elapse from the pre~ious
refreshlng proce~ The process o~ step S602 is
carrie~ out upon the start o~ the recordin~ for one
page. The Figure 28 of the step S603 i~ c~ried o~t
immedlately before the cappinq an~l immedlhtely after
the cap opening The process of step S604 is carried
out whe~ 12 sec elapse from the previous effect. Th~
prelimin~ry ~j~ction is executed in this manner.
In the reco~er~ quence at the time o~ the
soft pow~r OFF shown in Figure ~g, t~la preli in:3ry
eject~on i~ ca~ried out after the wiping ~tep S703 ) .
The prelimina~y ~jeotion carried out after
only the wiping i~ effected, among the abo~e-described
proce~ses, is simil~r to the preliminary ejection
after the wiping sho~n in step S12 of Figllre 24.
No~, the fundamen~al u6ing condition~ of the
preliminar~ ejection operations in the abo~e-described
Z0 processes, will be de~cribed.
The conditions are u~able ~or the emh~iments
whlch wil~ ~e de~cribed hereinafter.
u~ble range of the dri~ins fre~uency: 1 Hz -
30 kHz (usable rang~)
Drivlng pulse and dri~ing condition:
l It is ~electable independently of the driving
pulxe for the recording. Since the preli~in~ry

2 1 86~73
-87-



e~ectlon has additional func:tion of aglng of the
heater (he~Lt generatlng e~ement ), the &upplie~ energy
may be l~rger than the dr~lng pul~;e ~or the recordiIIg
to ~nhAnrP the effect therefor. For example, the
5 pul~;e width may be larger It 19 desirable that such
driv~ ng condition~; or p~lse waveform may be changed ln
accordance ~ith the non-ejection periocl of the
ejection no~zle~, or that it i~ changed in accordanc:e
~ith the composi~ions, viscosity o~ the ejection
liquid or the ambient condition such as the
temperature or humidit~, for example.
~ . The pulse shape and pul6e number are
selectable in accordance with the recording mode~ The
recording modes incl~de a HG mode (high quality mode),
HS moqe (hi~h speed recording mode), SHQ mode (ultra
high quality m~de~ or the like. In the high quality
mode, for example, h~gh precision recording i~
possible with~t den~lty non-uniformlty, by pre-pulse
control using ao~le pul~e~.
3. Double p~l~e m~e or sin~le pulse mode ls
possible.
Drive timing: simultaneous driving is
poææibl~ with th~ heater for the hea~ tempera~ure
contrdl or with the heater in the liq~i~ ch~ ~r such
as a rank heater indicating ind~idual recordin~ head
property .
Driving posltlon: oper~le to ~ prel~mlnary


-8~- 2~f- 8fi~13

e~ectlon receptor outside the recording region or into
a cap
The timin~ for t~le prelim1n~ry ejection, is
a~ has been described in c~njhn~tion wlth Figures 24 -

Z9, and the preliminary ejection~ at ~uch tim~ngs, ~reopera~le with s~lectabl~ frequency and selectable
number of ejection~, a.~ follows
~ 1) preliminary ejection in the recovery sequence
at the time of the soft power ON
(preliminary ej~ction ior recoYery from the
lncrea6ed viscosity ~ deposition, of the ink after
rest period)
2 kH~, 50 - 104 ejectlons
(2) Preliminary ejection in the recove~y ~equence
at the time o~ soft power OFF
(preli~inary ejection fo~ recovery from ink
dry ln ~onsideration of the rest period after the
power OFF)
500 Hz, 50 - 104 ejection~
(3) preliminary ejecti on in the recovery ~equence
at the time of the sta~d-~y state
[preliminary ejecti~n ~r preventln~ lnitlal
e~ection failure due to the ink ~ry, ln the ~t~nd-by
tat~a )
~5 500 ~z, 20 - 104 ejection~
~4) preli m i n ~ ry ~j ecti on ln the recovery sequence
during the recor4ing


-~39- 21 ~6~i 3

prelil in~ry eiection ~or a~uring initial
proper ejection and for eiection defect pre~ention due
to wetting with ink ~ depo~ition of foreign matter)
500 Hz, 20 - 104ejecticns
(5) preliminary ejec~ion ht the tlme of the
suction recovery
~prelim1nary ejection at t~e time o~ ~uction
recovery (m?inly by userJ)
Z kHz, 20 - 104ejections
~6) timer ~72 hour6) preliminary ~j~ction
(preli~in~ry e~ectio~ for prevention of the
la~t ejection failure due to a bu~ble produced ln the
rest period)
500 ~z, 20 - 104 ejections
l7) preliminary eJection after wiping
500 Hz, 50 - 104 eiection6
~8) prelimina~y ejection in the recovery sequence
at the time of the head ~çhan~e
tprelimin~ry ejection for a~suring avoiding
20 of ink le~kage ~t the time of exchange with a fresh
he~d~
2 k~z, 50 - 104 e~ections
The descript~on will be m~de ~s to some of
the examPles of t~e eject~ion freg~ncie~ anA the
~5 numbe~s eJection~ of the prelimlnary ejec~io~ in the
above-describe~ ~imlngs for the initial dyn~ni~
viscositie~; A~ shown in the following Em~odiments 1


2186~73

- 3, the number of the eiections i~ larger if the
initial d~namic viscosity is larger
(Embodlment 1)
When the ejection liquid had initial dynamic
visco~ity of 1 - 2 cP, the preliminary ejec~ion
timings ~ 5~ and 18) were u~ed for each ~jection
outlet with ~he following freq~encie~ an~ numbers of
the eiections. The results were that the ejecti~n
liquid mixing was L~- ~æd, and that the flrst ejec~ion
l~ upon the ejectio~ start was satisfactory.
(l~ pre~ n~ry ejection in the re~very sequence
at the time o~ the so~t power OFF
500 H~, ~0 e~ection~
(2~ preliminAry ejection i~ the recovery sequence
at the time of the ~o~t power ON
2 k~Z, 50 ejection~
(3) preliminar~ ejection ln the recovery sequence
a~ the time of the stand-~y
500 Hz. 20 e~ection~
20~4~ prellminary ejection in the recover~ sequence
aur~ng the recording
500 Hz, 20 ejection~
(5) prellminary ejection at ~he time of the
6ucti~n recovery
252 kHz, ~0 e~e~tlons
(8~ prelimin~ry e~ection in the recovery sequence
a~ the time of the head exchange


-gl- 2:~8-~73

Z kHz, 50 e~ctions
Th~ prel;m;n~ry ~ectl~n of item (S) may be
omitte~ i~ the suc~ion r~cover~ i~ good
(Embo~lment 2)
S Whe~ the ej~ction liqui~ ha~ initial dynamic
~isco~ity of 2 - ~0 cP, the preliminary ejection
timlngs (1) - (5) and (8) ~ere used for each ej~ction
outlet with the followlng ~requencies and ~umbers of
the ejections. ~he results were that the e~ection
liquid mixing wa~ removed, and that th~ first ejection
upon the ejection 6t~rt was ~ati~factor~, as in
Embodiment l.
(1~ preliminary e~ection in the reco~y sequence
at the time of the soft power OFF
500 Hz. 2000 e~ections
(2) preli~i~ry ejecti~n in the reco~ery ~equence
~t the time of the ~oit power ON
2 kH~, 2000 e~ections
~3) pre].iminar~ eJection ln the recovery sequence
~t ~he time ~f the stand-~Y
500 Hz, 8n0 ejections
(4) ~rel$minary e~ec~ion i~ the recovery sequence
during the r~cording
500 Hz, 800 ejection~
(5) prellmlnary e~ectlon at the time of the
suction recovery
Z kHz, 800 ejectlons


-92~ 6 Q 73

(~ p~l.iminary ejection ~n the rec~ve~y sequence
at ~he t~me of t~e head exchang~
2 ~H~, ~000 ejection~
The sequ~nce of ~3) i~ particularl~ d~irable
5 when the vi~cosity of the ejeotion liquld is high~
In the foregoin~ pre~ nary ejection
operations, the pre~i inAry eject10n~ (3) are
particularly effective to a~oid firet ejec~ion defect
after the inc~ea~e of the ejection li~id visoosit~
and the pre~ention of the m$xed liquid ejection
printlng.
. ~Embo~i t 3)
When the ejection liquia had initi~l ~ynamic
vl~cosity o~ Z - lOO c~, the prellmlnary eJectlon
15 timings ( 1~ an~ were used for e~h ejectio~
outlet with the following frequ~ncles and num~ers of
the ejection~. ~hP. res~lts were that th~ e~ectlon
llquid ~cjn~ wa~ remoYe,d, and that the first eJectlon
upon the ejection ~tart wa~ ~ati~factory, aæ in
~mhodiment l.
(1) preliminary ejection in the reco~ery 6equence
at the time of the soft power OFF
500 H~, 5000 ejections
(2) preli in~3ry ejection in the recoYery sequenc~
at the time of the soft pow~r ON
2 kHz, 5000 ejections
(3~ preli~inary ejectio~ in th~ recovery ~eque~ce

2186073
-93-



at the time of ~he 6thn~-~y
sO0 Hz, 2000 e~ections
~4) preliminary ejection in the reco~ery ~equence
during the recordlng
5500 H~, 2noo ejectians
(5) prellmlnary ejection at the time of the
~uction reca~ery
2 kHz, 2000 ejectlons
(8) prel~minary ejection in the recovery ~equence
1~ at the time of the head exchange
2 kH~, 5000 ~jection6
In the ~oregoing preliminary ejection
operations, the preliminary ejections (1) - (3) are
p~rtlcularly effective to a~oid first ejection defect
15 after the ln~rease of the ejection liquid ~i~co~ity
and the preventi~n o~ the mixed liquid ejection
prlnting. Namely, it i~ effective ~o ~vold the
~eterlor~tion of the initial image quality ~f ~he
i~age recorde~ on the recording m~terial
~0The drl~ing pulse used in Embodiments 1 - 3,
ix a single pulse wlth tne pulse width of 3 - 50 ~cc,
When the pulse width af 30 ~sec approx was used with
Embo~iment 3, ~he decrea~e of the ~ynam$c vlscoslty
d~le to the templ3ratur~3 ri~e i~ remarkable, and the
25 ejection state of the f$rst e~ection was g~od.
~Em~odiment 4
Irl this e~odiment, the ~lmi~ lar process o~


-~ 21 86073

~mhodiment 2 was used, b~t lnitial pul~e width w~ ~0
~scc, and one half of the ~ntire prel; i n~ry ejection
was carried out with this pulse width, and the rest
ther~of ~a~ carried out with the pulse width o~ 5
5 ~scc. First eje~tion~ were satisfactory
(Secon~ odim~nt)
In the second er~ t, the eJection state
in the preli~ ry ejection i~ detected, and the
prel~m1nAry ejection mode is changed on the b~i~ o~
10 the detection result.
The dynamic visco~lty generally changes
~ainly depending on the pressure and temperat-~re. In
a liguid recording de~ce, t~ temperature or humidity
relatively greatly changes depending on the use
am~ience or use state. There~ore, the preliminary
ejection may be excessive or insufficient, in the
fir6t embodiment wher~in ~he dynamic viscosl ty i~
predicted from the rcst period. ~en ln the case
where the number o~ the prellminary ~jections is l~rge
20 because the rest time i8 relati~ely long, the dyn~mic
visco~ity may ~e quite low if the ambient temperature
i~ high or if the humidity i~ high~ Therefore, in
such a ~e, the ~elected number of the preliminary
e j ect i on~i, wi l l ~ e:~c~:ss~ ively l arge .
In this example, as sho~n in Figure 30, there
is provided a ~en~or unit 190 for dynamic ~scosity
detection, adjacent the capping unit at the home


-95-
21 86073
position. F~gure 31 shows a position~l re~ation
bet~een the ~ensor unit 190 and the head 160 or t~e
like.
In these F~gures, when the e~ectlon is
S carried out to the cap 84 from the eiection head 160
at the tlme of the prelimin~ry e~ectlon, llght of L~D
~troboscope i~ emltted at predetermined timing from
~he ~nsor unit 1~0. The light i5 r~flected by the
eje~tion li~uid in the eie~tlon range thereof, and is
detec~e~ ~y CCD in the s~nsor unit 190 The emi~sion
timlng of ~he L~D s~robos~ope i8 ~et to be delay~d ~y
p~edetermined time from ~he pulEe application timing
for the ejections in the preliminary e~ec~ion. When
the e~ected droplet is in the ejection ran~e upon the
e~ission of the LED stroboscope, ar.d therefore, the
reflected light i~ detected, the liquid ejection
(ejecti~n frequency) follows the ~pplieation (driving
fr~quency) of the liquid ejection, and therefore, it
is discriminated that the dynamic viscosity is at a
predetermined lo~ level.
Figure 32 is a flow chart ~howing a
prel~ ri n ~ ry e~ectlon sequence used wi~h the structure
show~ i n Figures 30 ;~nd 31.
As shc~n in ~che ~;ame Flgur~3, LE;D strol~oscope
is actuated wit~ a predetermined ti~e delay for ~ach
driving pulse applica~ion ~tep S801) in the
preli in~ry eJeCtiOn, ~he detection is made at the


-



-96- 2 1 86073

s~ne t;im~ng as to whether there i~ z~n ejection liquid
in the range where i t: lx ~uppo~ed to exist ( step ~802
-S~04 ~ n the e je~ted droplets are d~tected as a
result, it i~ cc~n~idere~ that the dynam~c vlscoælty ls
5 ;Low enough, and the~e~ore, the prelS--s n~ry ~Jectlon l~;
stopped .
On the o~her hand, if the e~ected droplet is
not d~t~cted ~tep ~804~, and i~ th~ selected number
of preliminary e3ections are completed (~tep S~05), it
is consid~red that the preli in~ry ejection i~
insuf ~ioient, and the pulse ~idth, the num~er of
ejections of the preli in~ry ejection is set again
(step S~06) to c~rry out the prelim$nary e~ectlon
fur~her
Thu~, according to this embodiment, the
preliminary ejection is carried out to proper e~tent.
Figure 33 shows anothe~ example of t~is
emb~ nt In thi~ Figure, de~ignated by 1~1 is a
g~as~ pl~Lte provl~ed adjacent t~ the ~a~ 84 The
20 ~urfa~e ~f the g~as~ pla~e 9l is painted into white,
zlnd t.he n~aa l6a e~ect~; the ll~uld onto the glass
plate. 9l in the preliminar~ e~ec~on.
In ~ igure 33, the mi~ture in tnQ e~ection
head 1~ detected, a~d t.he density ~f the ejection
Z5 ~iquid deposited on the glasx platQ 191 is detecte~ by
optical detecting me~ns. When the detected density i~
a~o~e a prede~erm~ned level (the de~sitY of the



~g7~ 21 86073

ejeetlon liqui~ ~ithout mixture). the preli i n~ry
ejection is xtappe~.
Figure 34 i~ a flow ~hart o~ the preliminary
ejection se~uence in the mi xed liquid detection~
As ~hown in this Figure, when it ~s
discriminated that th~ ejection llquld deposited o~
the glass plate 91 at step S~3 is not less than the
predets i nP~ density, the discri~ination i5 ma~e a~
to wh~ther the head temperature i~ not less than
predetermin~ temperature or not at ~tep SgO4. Th~s
-ix made, since e~en i~ ~he mixed liquid is removed,
the dynam~c vi~cosity m~y be high. So, the dynamic
vi~coxity is c~ecked using t~e he~d temperature. Whe~
the den~ity i~ not less than a predetermined value~
~n~ the he~d temperature i~ not lçss than a
predet~rmin~ temperature, it i6 con~idered that the
~ixtur~ an~ the vl~cosity increase ha~ ~een o~v~ated,
so th~t the preliminary e~ectlon is ~t~pped~
According ~o th~5 ex~mple, the preliminary
eJectlon can be further reduce~.
~Third Embo~lmen~)
Flgure ~5 is a s~he~tic secti~nal view, ln
flo~ path di~e~tion, of the liqul~ ejec~ing head
according to an ~mboAil - ~ of the present lnventlon.
2~ Figure 35 shows this e~b~ime~t, and is
similar to Figure 9 ln ~he fundamental str~cture, ~ut
on the element substr~te 1 con~titut~ng the bottom


-98- 2 1 86073

portion in the common ~ iquia chamber 17, a heat
gene~ating element 2a as he~ting meanc is pr~ided,
and a columnar memb~ 17a ~f thermal~y c~nductive
material is planted in a bottom ~ur~ace ~ the
separatio~ wall 30 and i~ extended ~o as to be in
contact with the heat g~nerating element 2a. The
col~mnar member 17a functions to support the intennal
~tructure of the common liq~id chamber 17 and t~
quickly transmit the heat from the heat generating
elem~nt 2a to the separation wall ~0 o~ thermally
conductive material~ Th~refore, the heat of the he~t
generatlng ~lement 2a h~ated to a predeter~; n~
tempera~ure, functions to heat ~he bubble generation
liquid in t~e ~econd llquid flow path 16 and to heat
]5 the e~ectlon 11quid in the fir~t liq~i~ rlow p~th 14
throu~h ~he co~umnar . b~r 17a an~ the ~epar~lon
wall 30. ~y this heat:ing, the visco~ y o~ the
ejection li~uid is lowere~, ~he first eje~ti~n o~ tne
liquid ejecting head is $mproYe~ 1n this e.x~mp~.e
The d~cription wlll be ma~e as ~ a posi~on
of the hea~ g~nerating element Za as the heating
means
(Fourth ~ho~
Figure 36, (a) an~ (b), shows arrangement o~
the heat generating element 2a as the heating mean~
formed on the element 8ub8trate 1 in the liquid
eject~ng head of the present ln~ention; and (a~ i~ a


99 2 1 86~73

top plan ~ie~ taken ~long a llne parallel with the
surface of the element substrate l at a po~ition in
the c~ro~ quid flow path, and tb~ is a s~ctlonal
view ~aken along a line ~-~' line in ~a1.
The ~econd liquid flow path 16 ~s ~ormed by
the liquid ~low wall 23, and the element su~strate ~s
provided with heat generating elements 2 cor~e~ponding
to the ~Acon~ liquid flo~ path. ~he heat generati~g
element 2a creates a bub~le ln the liquid in the
second liquid ~low path 16 by the he~t generated
thereby. The element subst~ate, at the poxition
corresponding to the r~ llqui~ ~h~mher l7 for
cUpplying the liq~id to each ~econd llquid flow path
1~, is provis~on with neating me~ns 2~ for heating the
bu~ble gener~tion liguid in ~he :~ n li~ui~ ~h~m~er
and for heat~n~ the liquid ~eje~ion liquia) in ~he
f irst 1 iquid flow path through the sepAr~tion wall
disposed on the ._ - liquid ~ ~-r. ~he heating
means ~a and the heat generati.ng ~lRment 2 are
ZU cnnnPcted with wiring for ~upplying elect~ic ~ignals
thereto
The common ~iquid chamber i~ pro~ided wi~h a
columnar member 17 for ~upporting the sep~ation wall
In this example, the WJll constitu~ing ~he
~5 second liquid flow path a~d the columnar member, are
~imultaneou~ly formed by patternlng a DRY FILM of
photo~en~iti~e ~e~in m~terial


-100- 2186073

The materlal of the columnar member, may be
polysulfone, polyethylene or anther resin material, o;r
gold, nickel, silicon or ~nother metal, or glass.
~ or the simpli~iCatiOn of ~he manufacturing
5 step, the material is p~eferably the ~ame as that of
the separatiorl wall
When the columnar member or the liqu~d ~low
pasE~age ~qall con~;tituting the se~ond 1 lquld f low path,
are $ormed with the material ha~ing low thermal
10 conductivit~ such as :resin material, it is prefE~ra~ly
~eparated from the heat generating element 2a by not
lefi~ than 0.1 mm sin~:e then the e~fect of convection
of th~ liquid i~ added, ~o that th~ he~t can be more
e~fectively trans~erred. In order to feed to the
second liquid flow path the liquid un~formly and
sufficiently heatç~d in the lltIuid ch~ her, the heat
generating element 2a i~ pre~erably ~isposed adja~ent
the li~id ch~mher separated from the trailing edge of
~he comm~n llquid chamber of the liq~id flow path by
not less than o 5 mm.
A liq~i~ e~ectlng head provided wlth the
element sub~tr~te 1 of the ~tructur~ ~h~wn in Fiç~ure
3~, (a~ and ~b~, w~ manufacturea The lnk havln~ the
Yi~;Cosity 100 c~P wa6 u6ed as the ejection liguid. An
a~ueous ~olution of ethanol 20 % was uqe~ a6 the
bubble generatlon liyuid. The heating means 2a was
heA~ed to 45 C. Then, the heat waE; ~cran~ferred

2 1 86073
-101-

malnly through the bubble generation liquid and ~he
separation w~ll so that the vi~co~ity of the ejec~ion
llqu~d was decreased to 50 cP, ~nd the ~irst ejection
at the recor~ st~rt was improved with the sta~ilized
feathering in the recording material~
~Fifth E~ho~iment~
Flgure 37, (a) and (b~ sho~s a structure of
h~ating means 2a forme~ on the element ~ubstrate 1 ~n
a li~uid ejecting head according to an embodiment of
the pre~ent invention, wh~rein (a) is a top plan vlew,
and (~) is a sect~onal view taken along z-z' line in
(a). Each element o~ this em~od~ment 1s the ~ame a~
in ~he pre~ious embodiment. However, ln thi~ example,
the columnar membe~ 17a i8 formed precisely through
electro-fo~ming method, from nickel ha~ing a thermal
co~n~tivitr of gO~5 w/m, k, for example, together
with the ~eparation wall. In thi~ example, the
columnar mem~er 17~ is of high ~hermal con~n~tivity
ma~erlal, and th~refore, the heat generated by the
heat~ng means is more ~a~ily tran~ferred to the fi~st
liquia flc~w p~th, so that the ejection liquid in the
fir~t l~q~ld rlow path ls morè e~icien~ly heated.
~he material of the c~lumnar mPmher may ~e any if the
thermal çond~l~tivity ~hereof i~ high, for example, lt
7-5 may ~e gold, silicon, nickel, tungsten or another
metal material.
By the lntegral forma~ion of the columnar

2 1 ~73
1o~

member and the ~eparation wall, the e~ficiency of the
heat conducti~n is further in~reased.
A liquid eiecting head provided ~ith the
element su~strate 1 o~ the structure shown in Figure
37, ~a) and (~, was manu~actured. The ink having t~e
~is~6i~y ~00 cP was used as the ejecti~n liq~id. An
aqueous solution of et~anol 20 ~ wa~ u~ed as the
bub~le generatlon liquid. The heating means 2a was
heated to 4~ C Then, the heat was transfer~ed
m~inly th~ough the bub~le generation liquld and the
separation wall ~o that the viscosity of the eje~tion
liqui~ ~a~ decrea~ed tb 50 cP, and the first ejection
at the record start wa~ improved with the sta~ilized
feathering in the r~cording material.
15 (Sixth Embo~li ~nt)
Figure 38, ~a) and tb) ~hows a structure of
heater 2a formed ~s the heating means on the element
trate 1 in a liquid ejecting head according to an
embodiment of the present inven~ion, wherein ta) is a
2~ top plan view, and ~b~ is a sectional view taken along
z-z' line i~ (a~ r In thi~ example, the ~tructure~ are
~lmllar to those of the foreyoing embodiment, and the
detalled description thereo~ is ~litted ~or
~impl icity. In th~ s esample . the he~t genera~ing
2S elements 2a are provided at thrçe position~, and they
are energlzed through contacts 2c to be heated to a
preae~ermt neA temperature. As shown in Figure 38,


-



-103- 2 1 86073

(a), an end of a columnar member 17a iEs pos~itiorl~d and
contacted to the position R right ~bcve the heat
genera~ing elements Za. The heat generating element
may be the heat ~eneratin~ resi6~ e layer alone and
may be the one inclu~ing the heat generating
resistance layer and a p~otection la~er thereon. In
the latter case, the end of the colum~ar mP~he~ is
con~act~d to the protection layer of th~ heat
gener~ting element.
1~ ~he columna~ m~mber in thiæ embodiment is
fo~med through the electro-forming method from the
~ame metal as the separation wall, nickel, for
e~ample, similarly to the prev~ous embodiment. The
m~terial of the columnar mem~er may be any if thermal
conduc~ivity thereof i~ high, as sn the previo~s
embodiment.
By the formation of the columnar member on
the heating mean~ as in thi~.example, the heat
~enerate~ by t~e heatin~ means i~ efflclently
transmltted to the fir~t liq~id flow path through the
col~nar member, and the liquid in the fi~t liquid
~low path can ~e efflclently heated.
In this example, ~t h~ heen con~lrmed that
b~ raislng the tempe~ature ~ ~hP heat generatin~
element 2a as tne hea~in~ means to 25 - 60 C, the
heat i8 effi~iently tr~n~mitted to the liqui~ in the
fir6t liquid flow path 14 through the columnar member


21 8~0~3
- 1 0 4-



17a. A liquid e~ect~g hea~ pro~i~ed with the el~ment
sub6trate 1 of the structure ~ho~n in Fig~re 38, (a)
and (b) r was manufactured. The ink having the
v~co~ity 100 cP wa6 used as the ejection liquid. An
S aqueous solution of ethanol 1~ ~ was used as the
bu~ble generation liquid. The heating means ~a was
heated to 50 C. Then, the heat was transferred
main~y throu~h the ~ubble generation liq~id and the
sepa~ation w~ll so that the visco~ity of the ejection
liquld ~as decreaxed to 40 cP, and the first e~ection
at the r~cord start was improved with the ~tabilized
feathering in the recording ma~eri~l~
In the ~oregoing e~odiment~, the stru~ture
below the ~pa~ation wall, n~mely, t~e s~fnn~ liqui~
1~ flow path and the s~cond c~mmon llquid chamber portion
in fluid communication with i~, is ~aken.
The first liquid flow path and the first
common liquid cham~er in fluid communica~ion with it,
are formed by coupling a 6eparation wall 30 and a top
~0 plate having ~n orifiee plate having the e~ection
outlets 18, a grooved top plate ha~ing grooves for
constituting liquid flow paths 14 and a re~ess for
constituting a fi~st common liquid ehamb~ 15 rr ~, ly
in ~l~id f'f ication with the liquia flo~ paths 14
25 .and for supplying the first liquid into the liquid
flow path~.
(Seventh ~mbofln ~ n~


`- 2 1 86373
105-



Figu~e 39, ~a) and t~) illu~trate driY$ng
proce6~ for a liquid ej~cting head according to an
embo~ nt of the present i~vention, wherein the
liquid e~ecting head has the ~ame ~tructure as with
the li~uid ejecting head shown in Figure 9.
In this ~jectlon head, the movable mem~er 31
ls driven ~y dri~ing the heat ~enerating element 2,
a~d b~ the resultant displacement of the movable
memb~r 31, the ejecti~n llquid is eje~ted. The heat
gen~ration sequence for the heat generating elem~nt
includ~ a feature Flgure 40 showæ driving pul~e6
$or the he~t g~nerating element 2 in this em~diment.
and each position A, B, C, ~ of the pulse correspond~
to timings (a), (b), ~c~, ~d) in Figure 3~,
respectivel~
When ~he liquid ejec~ng ~ad is to be
dri~en, the heat gen~rating element ~ upplied wi~h
a volta~e having a pul6e width tl, and then, it rests
for time t2. Thereafter, th~ voltage of the pulse
width t3 is applied to eject th~ liquid. In Figure
39. (a~ shows a state wherein the liquid is not yet
formed into a bubble by thermal energy from the heat
generating element. In (b), first bub~le generation
occurs, ~n~ the bubble yeneration at this tim~ is not
eno~gh to ~ject the liquid, but i6 enough only to
di~place the movable --h~r 31 to a 6mall extent.
Thi~ is accomplished by u~ing small pul~e width or low


~1 ~G073

-106-



voltage o~ by using a he~t generating element h~ving a
size smaller than th~t for ejecting the liquid in the
~ame nozzle. In (c), the collapse o~ bubble occurs
during the rest period, where~n the movable ~ember 31
5 is ~tlll mo~ing, that is, it h~s not yet reached the
initial state In ~d), the second ~u~le generation
occurs. The second bu~ble generation i~ produced ~y a
~oltage having a pulse width t3 which is larger than
that in the first pulse and therefore supplying larger
10 bubble generation po~. So, the movable member 31
displaces to a larger extent th.an in tb) so that the
liquid is ejected in the ~orm of a droplet onto an
un~hown reco~ding mater~al~
Figure 41 is a graph showin~ vibratlons of a
15 meniscus of the liquid ~t the e~ection outlet 3 at the
points of time A - D shown in Figure 40. ~t ~, no
chang~ of the menisclls occurs; at E3, the menificuE~
project~ (~ direction), at C, it tends to retr~ct, but
is still p~ojecl:ed to a small e~ctent. With this
-20 st~te, the bub~le ~eneration with p~lse width t3
occur~, an~ therefore, the meniscus is projected a~
all times ~pon an ejecting bu~le ~eneration.
Therefnre, in thi~; Pmhodlment, the mova~le
memher is once dispiace~, by which the dlspl~ nt of
25 the mo~able member an~ the ~tate of the meniscus are
constant when the eJeCting ~u~le generatlon occurs,
so that the ejection amount is stabilize~. In


2186û73
-107-



addition, by once displacing the movable member into
the fir~t llquid flow path ~y the ~irst bubble
genera~ion, the bubble generation power upon the
~econd bub~le generation may ~e smaller, and mo~ o~
5 the p~wer is directed ~oward the ejection outlet, so
that the ejection amo~nt is large~ tha~ when the
li~uid is e~ected with a sin~le pulse When the
~jection amount is desired to ~e smaller to form a
~maller dot, the ejection may be caused when the

10 men~scu~ i B retracted~
When the non-e~ection period i~ long, thi~
operation may be carried ~ut at the initial stage, ~y
which the ambience of the liquid fluid around the
movable member, i8 such that ~he movable membe~ is
~5 easily displaced, and simultaneou~ herewith, the
fixing and viScosity increase of the liquid adjacent
the menis~us portion are eased, and therefore, the
initial ejection sta~ility and the fir~t eiection
occurrence are lmproved.

Fi~ure ~2 i~ hematic ~iew xhow~ng a
fun~amen~al ~ructure of a liquid ejectinq appa~atu~
for implementlng the drlving method for the liquid
ejecting head accoraing to Ihl~ Pmhndlment The
llqul~ e~ec.ting ~pp~r~t~ll~ rnmpri~es a liquid ~jectin~
25 head 200, a driving circuit 201 for supplying drlvlng
pul~e~ ~o the heat generating elements of the liquid

ejecting head 200, and a pul~e control clrcult 202 for


2 1 86073
-108-



supplying control fiignals for controlling the drl~ing
pulses to the driving circuit 201. A recording timing
signal and a recordi~ da~ are supplied to the pul&e
control circuit por~ion Z02, and the control signal is
5 produced on the basis of the data. ~n thls device,
the driving ~ircu~t portion Z01 and the pul~e control
circuit portion 202 c~nstitute a drlvlng pul~e control
means~
~eierrlng to Figure 43, the description will
10 ~e mad~ as to control of drivln~ pulse sln this
app~ratus. The ~co~ding ~iming signal (a) an~ the
recording data ~b) are 6uppli~d to the pulse control
circult portion 20~. A rectangular first pulse having
a pulse wi~th T~ and a voltage ~1 is applied tdriving
15 pulse (~ y the reco~ding timing signal (a~ $s
applied to the heat generating element of the liquid
ejecting head 200 through the driving circuit portion
201 S~bsequently, a rect~ngular second pulse having
a width T3 and a ~oltage Y2 ifi applied to the heat
20 generating eleme~t after 0 voltage T2 time (rest
period T~? elapeex. Here, the voltage levels of the
~irst pul~e an~ the F r~ pulse, are the ~a~e That
i~, V1 = ~2 second pulse The width of the eecond
pulse ls longer than the fir~t pul~e, that i~, T1 c
~5 T3.
(Eighth Em~odiment)
~igu~e ~4 ~how~ a driving pulse for

-


- 2~86973
- 109-

implementing the ~ri~ing method of this embod~ment~
Fig~r~ 44, (a~ shows a dri~ing pulse used in the
initial stage after the print start, and (~) ~hows a
drlvlng pulse at the other time. ~hen li~uid ha~ing
low thixotroplc property such a~ high viscoslty
liq~id, is to be e~ected, ~he voltage ~idth tl is made
larger. and the width t2 of the rest period is made
smaller, in the initial stage at whlch the ejection is
difficult. When the ~i~cosity is lower in th~ perl~d
other than the lnitial ~tate, th~ pulse wi~th tl i5
decreased, and th~ rest Wid~h ~ increa~ed to eject
the liquid. By this, th~ ejecti~n amount ls made
constant even when the high viscosi~y liquid is to ~e
eject~d. The ejectio~ property upon the record start
5 i8 improved, and ~he ejection i~ stablll~ed as a
wh~le The initial stage of the print 6tart mean~ the
perlod ~L~ ~e~ ~hen the llquid flo~ does not occur and
~hen ~he llquld flow occur~ It include~ the initial
printing perin~ after the main swit~h i~ actuated or
~0 the. reCord ~tart for a new page, or the lik~.
Referring to Fi~ure 45, the desc~ipti~n will
be made as to the ~.ontrcl Or the driving pulse in thi~
ex mple~ The viscosit~ of hi~h vi~co~ity llquid is
dependent on the temPerature~ and th~refnre, the
temperature in the head is detected by a tempera~ure
~ensor, and t~e data are s~pplied to a pul~e control
clrcuit portion ZOZ as reccrding data. In this


2~ 86073
1 1 o

example, when the temperature in the head i6 not more
than 40 C (including the initial state)~ the driving
pulse ~hown in ~b) is applied, and w~en it i8 not 1B~S
than 40 C, the dr~ving pulse shown in (c) i6 applied.
tNinth Embodiment)
Figure 46 is a graph showiny driviny pulses
~or implementing the driving method af th~s example.
A voltage having a pul~e wi~h tl is ~pplied, and the
vol.tagQ applicatlon is rested for time t2, and is
repea~.ed. At this tlme, the liquid is not ejected.
W~en the liquid is to be eJecte~, a voltage having a
puls~ width t3 which i~ larger than pulse wldth tl is
applie~.
Figure 47 $s a graph ~howing meni~cus
lS vibration in ~hi~ em~odiment. Wh~n the bubble
gener~tion for the liquid ejection i9 effected, it is
pro~ected at all time6. ~y thi~, the ejection is
~tabil$~ed, and sinc~ the mova~le mem~er 31 is
vi~rat~, the meniscus vibration o~ the liguid flow
ZO path 14 can be reduced. Particularly, when the period
of the vibratlon of the movable member i~ shorter than
the peri~fl o~ the vibration ~f the meniscus, the peak
is di~per~e~, ~o that the effect of the Leduction of
the ~ni~cuB di~lacement is ~reater
In the control of the dri~ing pulse in this
e~bodiment, as shown in Figure 57, when the liquid is
~o be ejected in response to the rec~rding data, the

2~-6~73
1 1 1

dr~ving pulse (b) i~ applied, and when the liquid i~
not eiected, the driving pulse (c) is applied.
(Tenth Embod$ment)
~igure 49 1& a ~ectional view of a ~iquid
ejecting he~d ~ult~le ~or ~he driving method for the
liquid e;ee~ng he~ of this example. The llqu~d
e~ectlng he.ad is similar to thht ~hown in Flgure 9 and
Flgure 39, but the h~a~ genera~ln~ ele~ent 2 is
constitut~d ~y a f~rst heat ge~erating element 2-1 and
1~ a ~ecand he~t generating element 2-2 whi~h ha~e
different heat generat~on areas. an~ the structure~
are the same as in ~lgure 1 ~nd F~gu~e 3g in the other
respects. The heat generating elem~nt 2-1 and the
heat generating element 2-~ can ~e dri~en
in~pendently from each other. Figure ~O ~how6
driving pulses for implementing the driving method of
~his embo~i ~nt, using the heat generating element~ 2-
1, 5-2. Figure 51, (a~, (b), (c~, ~d) shows the 6t~te~
i~ the li~uid ejecting head at the timing~ A - D of
the driving pul~e~ shown in Figure 50. Fig~re 51, (~)
sho~s the ~tate wherein the heat gener~ting elements
1-1, 5-2 ha~e not been actuated. tb) shows t~e state
whereln the flrst heat ge~erating e~ement 2
a~tllated. The ~u~le gener~llon at this time is no~
enough to eject the liquid. and is only enou~h to
displace the movable member 31 to a small extent. (c~
~hows the state wherein the collapse of bubble occurs


2~6~73


in the rest period, and the movable ~ember ~l is still
di~placing (~ ~h~ws the state wherein the second
heat generating ele~ent 2-2 i6 actu~te~. The ~u~ble
generation power for the fiecond heat generatlng
elem~nt 2-Z is larger than the bubble generatinn power
for the fir~t heat generatln~ element 2-l, and
therefore, the movable mem~r 31 ~isplac~s to a
greater extent ~han at ~, and t~e liguid ejects at
this time.
The meniscu~ at ~he eject~on outlet 18 for
the ejection liquid, ~ibrates in the similar ~nner to
seventh embodiment shown in Fi~ure 41. By ~n~e
di~placing the movable member 31, the bubble
gen~ration for the e~ection occurs with the constant
di~placement of the movable member 31 and the eonstant
s~ate of the meniscu~, ~o that the ejection amount is
~tabillzed.. In addition, mo~t of the bubble
generation power for the second hea~ generating
element Z-2 is directe~ ~oward the ejection outlet,
and the~efore, the ejecti~n ~m~unt 1~ lncreased when
the 1$qu1~ 1~ ejec~ed ~y a single pulse o~ a sin~le
h~a~ generatin~ element.
The ~ontrol o~ the drlvlng pulse in thls
~xample is as shown ln Figure 52 ~he first hPat
Z5 genera~ing element 2-1 is first supplied with a
r~ctangular pulse havlng a widt~ Tl and a voltage Vl
(driving pulse for the f~ rst heat gener~ting element

2 1 86073

-113-



2-1) i~ r~sp~n~e to the recording timing sign~ la).
Sub~equently~ aftQr the rest ~eriod T2, the second
heat generating el~ent 2-2 is suppl$ed with a
rectangular conflguration pul~ ~aving a width T2 and
a ~oltage V2 (driving pulse lc) for the ~econd heat
generating e~e~ent 2-2). At this time, ~1 = V~, and

Tl ~ T3, are satisfied.
In the liquid ejecting head, used in this
exdmple, th~ portion of the 6ep~ration wall 30 between
the first liqui~ ~low path 14 and the s~ro~ liquid
flow p~h 16 and the portion o~ the separation wall 30
between the adjacent no~zles, are i~tegrally formed of
nickel having a tnickne~s of 5 micron through electro-
forming, and ~y coupling with the ~u~strate 1, the
n~ liquid f~ path 16 for ~he ~u~ble generation
liquid is forme~. The nozzle separa~ion wa~l ~n~ the
liquid ~eparation wall may be f~rmed separa~ed and
then ~o~n~ted with oach other to ~orm the bu~ble
generation liquid fl~w path 16
Fi~ure 5~ i~ a block diagram showing a
structur~ for drivin~ the liquid ejecting ~ead in the
above-de~crlbed liguid eject~ng apparatus.
As shown ln the Fiyure, the head dri~er 102
drive the he~t g~nerating elements o~ the ejccti~n
head ~0 on the ~a~is of the eject$on control signal~
and the eiectlon dat~s transferred from the ~PU101, ~y
which the ~iquid ~je~tion is carried out through the


--- 2la6073
-114-

above-described principle of the ejection The head
driver 102 i6 ~upplied w1th pul~e data ~or th~ dri~ing
pul~e to ~e applied t~ the heat generati~g element hy
the pulse y~ne~at~r 105, by which the driving pul~e
waveform i~ changed for the initial ejection
~tabilization which will be described hereinafter.
De~ignate~ by 105 ln Figure 53 is a feeding
s~ystem for reco~ling materials P in the ~boYe-
~e~cr$bed l1guld ejecting apparatus lFigure 20)
Flgure 54 shows a sub~trate structure o~ the
above-describe~ uid e~ectlng head 60. The pocition
of the elements are ~tlifferent from the actual m~t-
for the purpo~e of bette~ under~tandin~ of the
embodim~nt.
In Figu,e 54, 64 heaters 1021 as heat
generating elements are proYided correspondlng to the
ejection ou~let~ of the ejection head 60. The 64
heaters 1021 are ~Lo~ed into 8 bloek~ each including
B heater~, and the ti~e sheared dri~ing i6 ef~ected
for the group~. ~ diode array~ 102Z and heaters 1021
correspond to 8 cu~on electrodex. ~d different
~egment electrodes are connected to 8 heaters in each
block. The head substrate i~ provided with a
temperalure keeplng heater 1023 for heating the
e~ection liquid, as will be ~e~ribed hereinafter
Fi~ure 55 shows an u6ual w~veform of the
vol~age pulse applied t~ th~ heater 1021, and Figure



-115- 2~8~073

56 s~ho~ a proper relatio~ between the pulsE~ width and
voltage of: ~uch a volt2ls~e p~lse As will ~e
understood rom Figur~ 56, the voltaye can be
de~re~ed with increase of the pul~e width.
The description ~111 ~e made as to Eiome
embodiments of the ejection stabilization proce~E;
based on the fundamental structure de~cri~ed above
( 11th Em~o~liment )
In the normal recordlng operation, the pulse
application period (pul~e ~idth) is set ~o tl, and the
voltage is set to Vl ~po~nt A in Figure 56~ in
accordanee with the pulse applicat$on period, and
thereafter, the driving pulses having the thus E3et
pulse width ~nd the ~olta~e are applied in accordanc~
with the ejectlon signal
However, with this said pul6e application
method, th~ initial eJection property may vary ~or a
certain period ~r~m the record start when high
viscosity li~uid i8 uxed as the ejection liquid or
20 when the rest perio~ is long, and therefore, the
ejection llquld may ~e solidified adjacent ~o the
ejection D~le~, or the ~lscosity thereof may ~e
lncreased. Thi~ i~ becau~e the llquld ~low 1~ not
~ ~d at thi . ~ta~e. Therefore, the featherlng
on the ad~acen~ is no~ uniform
~ n em~odiment, the proce~ shown in Figure 57
is c~ied out Dur~ng a predetermlned time from the


-116- 2~ 86073

record $tart (step S101), the pul8e width of the
driving pulse is t2 ~hich i6 larger than normal pu~
width tl, and after that (steP 8102~, ~he normal pul6e
wldth tl is use~ for the recordiny ~Figure 58, Point B
5 in Figure 56 ) . By this, thermal energy amount
genera~ed b~ the hea~ generating element is increased
to lncrease the generated bu~le press~re o~ the
bubble generation llquid, by which the s~art up pe~iofl
of thQ ejection p~operty ls decreased, so ~hat the
1~ feathering on the recor~ing materlal ic ~ulck~y
stabili~ed to per~it 6ati~factory eiection from the
initial stage.
Flgure 59 lllu6t~ate~ the principle of this
proce~6, ~nd ~howR a relation bet~een the application
period and the eject~on fip~ed when n~rmal applied
pul 6e6 ~re u~ed.
A6 ~hown in this ~igure, the ejection speed
î~ lower in the initial stAge of the eJe~tion and
varie~. but a~ter pulses are applied for a cert~i~
~o period ~the per~od re~uired for the stabilization of
the motion o~ the li~id and the operation of the
mov~ble mem~er from t~e drive start~, the e~ection
speed reaches a predete~ ine~ level, and the e~ection
is ~ta~ili~e~. ~here~ore, the pulses ha~i~g the
25 predeteL ~ n~ pulse width are ~pplied for a period
xu~fi~ient for the 6t~bllization of the eje~ion, and
a~ter the e~ectlon is st~ilize~, the pul~es of normal


-



-117- 2 1~6~73

pulse width are aPPlie~.
In th~s example, "~pon) the record start or
ejection start~ means ~he t~me i ~ately after non-
signal in~ lve ~f non-ejectio~, and maY be de~ined
as the time ~f the non-~lgnal. Thus, what is ~eant by
"~upon~ the record start or e~ectlon start" in this
exampl~, i~ di~leren~ depending on the cau~e of the
decrease ~f the e~ectlon pro~erty For examp~e, ln
the oa~e of de~rease o~ th~ ejection property mainly
caused by the ~olidification or vls~osity increase,
the top o~ the page ~o be recorded can be de~ined as
the "(upon) the r~cord start'` if th~ ejection li~uid
h~s a relati~ely high recoYery propert~, and the pulse
width in the pe~iod of predete_ j ne~ length ther~from
is changed
In the case of high viscosity liquid used as
the ejec~ioIl liquid, the top of ~ line of recording
may ~e d~fined a~ n (Upon? t~e record start or ejection
~tart" lf the property of the liquid exhibit~ the
reproducibility for each line of recording.
When the liguid has a ~urther high viscosit
the pulse wi~h i~ further increased ~pon the record
start, so that the ~emperature of the liquid is raised
to lower the viscnsity, ~ whicn tne inltial ~ection
2S property i~ improved to provide sati~factory $mag~
quality.
(12th ~mbodiment)


- 2186~73
-118-



In the qriving pul~e ~:nndillon~; ~;imll~r tc~
tho~e o~ the 11th embodiment, a larger dri~ing volt~ge
is used for a pre~etermined tlme from the record start
or until a predQtermine~ number of pul~e~ are applied,
S by which the g~n~rated b~bble pressure i5 increased to
improve the initial ejection property.
As shown i~ Figure 60, a ~oltage Vz which iG
higher than the normal voltagç~ Vl is applied ~or a
predetermined time from the rç~cord start (paint C in
Figure 56), and thereafter [ ~fter the e jection
perform~nre such a~ the ejection speed i5 stabili~ed],
normal voltage ~1 pul~es are applied ~Figure 61).
Wlth thix, the deterioratlon in the initlal
e~ectton property c~n be ~uppressed, as ~n the 11th
~boaiment W~en a further hl~h~r vi~co~lty liquid 1
~sea, tne applie~ vol~ge upon the record ~tart 1~
lncreased, so that the temperature of the liq~id is
lncrea6ed to lower the viscosity, thus improving the
initial eJectlon property to provlde ~atl~f~ctory
ZU image quality.
~13th ~bodiment)
In thi~ ex~mple, th~ application and th~
pul~e width of the driving voltage are made higher for
a predetermined time from the record ~tart a~ ~hown in
Fi~ure 6Z in the driving pul~e condition~ ~imilar to
tho~e in the ~oregoing embodi~ent~, ~o that the
gen~rated bubble pressure i~ lncrea~ed to i~L~Y~ the


-


-119- 2186~73

initial e~ection property~
Normally, a~ shown in Figure 55, the
recording i~ ~ffec~e~ with the ~on~tant drivlng
voltage Vl and the constant pul~ width tl In thl~
example, a~ s~own in Fi.~ure 63, f~r ~e pre~eterm~n~
time from record start, the drlvlng voltage V2 ~V2~Vl)
is applie~ wit~h the width of t2 ~t2~Vtl), (point D ln
Figure 5~) Aft~r thQ ~ta~ilization of the eJection,
normal voltage Vl and normal pul~e width tl are
lo applied for the recordlng.
(14th Embodiment)
In thi~ example, two heat generating elements
are provided for one movsble member, and thi~
~tructure is utili~ed ~or the ejection stabilization,
Figure 64, (a) and (~) ~hows the structure.
In Figu~e 64. ~a~, the two heat generating
elements 2A ~nd 2~, are driven, ~nd by ~he ~u~bl~
generation therr~, the m~v~le m~mher 6 ~ spla~e~

t~ e~ect ~he ll~uid. In Plgure 64, Ib), the mova~le
member 6 ~s di~place~ ~ the hu~le ~ener~tlon ~y one
heat generating elem~nt 2A.
When two heat generating elements are dri~en,
the total generate~ bubble pressure is ~igher 6~ that
~h~ movable member ~ is displ~e - t to a greater
extent. There~ore, a~ shown in Fi~ure 65, when the
e~ection ls not s~able upon record ~tart, the two heat
gener~ting,elements are driven to 6tabilize the


-l~o- 2 1 86073

ejection by t~e higher generated bubble pres~ure, and
a~ter the stabilization of the ejection, only the main
heat generating element 2A i~ dri~en to eJect the
liquld~ a~ ~hown in Figure 64, ~
~imilarly to the foregoing embodiment, the
lnitial ejection property is improved to proviqe ~he
~atls~actory $mages.
The descrlptlon wlll ~e made as to a ~urther
embodimen~ for tho control ~or t.he ejecti~n
performance improvement of th~ ejecti.on head.
Figure 66 i~ a flow chart showing the proce~
steps relatlng to the preliminary ejecting operatlon
mainly upon the print ~art, and Fi~ure 67
~ehematically shows the content of the tabl~ u-q~d with
the proces6.
A~ ~hown in Figure 66, in this example, when
the completion o~ the p~inting is discriminated ~step
S6), the non-printing time t therea~ter is counted
(xtep Sl), and the head temperature T i5 detected
ZO (step SZ). When the printing in~tructions is detected
[step 53), the ~reliminary e jection i~ carrie~ out
w~t~ th~ num~er o~ e~ectlons in a~ord~nce wlth the
non-prlnt~ ng time t and the head temperature T
detected B~ such preli in~ry ejection~, t~e

viscosity-increased in~ and the mixed i~k in the head

can be satis~actorily di6charged 6imilarly to the
foregoin~ e~odime~ts

2 1 86073
-121-



The nu~er N of ejec~ions in the preliminar~
ejectio~, is deter~ined ~y ~ = No x f ~t, T~. Rere,
No is the num~er of ejection~ with which the
visc~s~t~-increased llqul~ ~nd the mlxture llqui~ can
be satisfac~orily diccharged ~hen the non-printing
time ls le6~ than 12 hours, and the head temperature
ls not less than 1~ C and less than 20 C, for
example. ThQ f ~t, T~ is an operator f~r
determinating the coefficient deteL ine~ by the non-

pr~ntlng time t and the he~d temperature T, and ~sdetermine~ by re~erring to the processing tabl~ on th~
ba~is of the time t and the temperature T.
Figu~e 67 ~chematically ~hows the content of
the table ~toring ~he value~ det~ ined by the
processing f (t, T). With the decrease of the head
temper~ture T or with the increase of the non-printing
time ~. the decrea~e~ uf the ejec~ion perfor~no~ or
the feathering of the liqui~ on the recor~ing materlal
i5 larger due to the temperatu~e depe~ence property
of Ihe visco~lty ~nd due to the viscosity-lncre~ed ~y
evaparation ~f the water ~o ~n~ate for ~hi~, as
shown in this Figure, the coefficient f (t, T~ is
increased therewith, ~hat is, the number of ejectlon~
in the prell inAry e~ection lC increase~. The content
Of the table shown in this Figure, i~ for the purpose
of better understanding of the invention, and may be
changed properly by one skilled i~ the art. Finer



-122- 2 1 86073

~ntr~l or nnn-llnear ~ntrol is po~ le ~y the
processing
Flgure ~ a timing chart for operatlons
for lmprov~ng the e~ection state upon the print start
inclusion the preliminary e~ection. Each operation
~hown in thi~ ~igure, i~ similar to the operation~
de6cribed in the foregoing embodiment~. In this
emboAir~nt, in addit~on to the preliminary e~ecting
operation upon the print start, the head heating u~ing
the heater formed on ~he head ~ub~trate, the Yibr~tion
of the valve formed in the partition by supplying the
energ~ not enough to eject the liquid to the heater,
and the power up printlny with which the energ~
supplled to the ejection heater i .~ ely after the
pr~nt start is increased, are carried out ~n
com~lnatlon, ~ that the e~ection per~ormance 1~
impro~ea M~re par~i~ularly, ~he ~i~co~ity-in~rea$ed
ink discharge and th~ mixe~ liq~id discharge by the
preliminary e.jecting operation, the improvement in the
~0 ejectlon respon~ivity ~y the head heating, the
increase of the ejection ~ount and th~ ejection
stabilization by the preliminar~ valve driving, ~nd
the stabilization of the initial printing by the power
up printing, are ~qct _. ., 1 i~hed.
A6 de6cribed in the ~orego$ng, in this
2 ' ~i L, the state of the in~ or the like in the
head is superpo~edly improved by the driving structure

-123- 2 1 86073

of the head Per se, so th~t the stabilizatlon of ~he
in$tial e~ectlon performance ix improved.
Particularly, hy com~ining these sequentlal
operatlon~, th~ stablllty improvement of the e~ection
perform~nCe and the stabilization effect f~r the
featherlng of the llquld on the recording material,
are synergetically pro~ided, and therefore, the
property at the initial recording stage after the re~t
period i~ reoov~red, and in addition, even better
l~ property iB accomplis~ed to pro~lde very high
reliability and image quality.
In the foregoing em~odimentR, the the
operatlon before the ejection start, ~h~t is, in the
re6t period, has been describe~, the operation may be
carried o~t during the ejecting ~peratiuns to Provide
the effects.
As described in the fore~ing, according ta
the present in~ention, a large part of the pressure by
generatiGn of the bubble rësultinq from the he~t
generation ~f the heat generating element ~s
e~fl~1ently tran~mltted dlrectly ~ the e~e~on
~ullet ~l~e ~y the mo~a~le mem~er, ~n~ t~ere~ore~ the
liquid can be eiecte~ with high ejection energy use
efflclen~y and With hlgh e~ection pressure
Parti~ularlyr according to an aspect of the
present inventlon, the heating mean~ for ~djusting the
temperatures of the bub~le gener~tion liquid an~ the


-124- 2 1 86073

eiection liquid at a liqui~ chamber position in fluid
~ lc~t~on wlth the s~con~ liquid $10w path
cont~ining the bubble generation liq~la, ~y which ~he
bubble generati~n li~uid can be contr~llea t~ a
predetermlne~ temperature . The heat i~ efficientlY
tran~mitted ta t.he e~ectlon liquld throu~h the
separation wall, ~o ~hat the viscosity decrease a~ the
liquid and the proper initial ~jection can be
accomplished In ad~ition, in the ca~e that the
ejection li~uid is heated through the ~ubble
generation liquid, the bubble generation power o~ the
~ubble generation liquid ca~ bu enhanced.
Furthe~, according to an a~pect o~ th~
prexent inventi~n, there is pro~ided a thermally
conducti~e col~mnar member ~n contact ~it~ said
heatin~ l-leans. ~he member ls usable as a heat transfer
member ~or the e~ection liquid, and therefore, the
heat tran~e~ from the heating ~ean~ 1~ improved.
According t~ an aspect of the prese~t
invention, the ~u~e generating ener~y 1~ lncre~ed
during a period until the ejectlon property ~uch a~
~e ejection speed at the ini~ial e~ection iG e~ectlon
p~opertie~, so that ~e e~ectlon ~pee~ can ~e
increased agaln~t the resistan~e by the movable m^~
ZS or by the e~ectian liquid As a reQultQ, the
~atlsfactory recording is accompli~hed from the recard
start


-125-
2 1 86073
Furthermore~ according to an aspect of the
present in~ention, the increase of the liquid eje¢tion
amount and the stabilization of th~ liquid e3e~tion
amount c~n ~e ~imult~neously a~ured. In addition,
the ejection property uPon the record start can be
improved. The improvemen~ in the e~ection propert~ i~
particularly remarkable when the ejection liquid h~ a
~igh vi~co~ity. Furth~r. the meniscus vibration at
the e~ection outlet for the ei~tlon llquld can be
lU sUppreSce~, ~n tnat high frequency rec~r~ng is
accomplished
As regards the mixture o~ the e~ection llguid
and bub~le generation liqu$~ occurred in th~ ejection
head, according to an aspect of the present.invention,
the ~o-c~lled pr~liminary ejection not ~f~ecting
recording, i~ oarried out on the ba6i~ of the
inform~tio~ r~lating to th~ viscosity such as the
dyn~mic viscosit~ ~hich is an index cf the ~ixture or
on the basis of mixture iniormation directly
indieati~e of the degree of the mixture, ~o that the
mixed liquid can be di~charged together with
viscosit~-increased ejection liquid. As a r~ult,
sati~factory recording i6 accomplished with proper
dYnYity ~t all times.
Using these features in combination, the
eiection performance can be stably enha~ced, and in
addition, the propertie~ o~ the liquid per ~e, ~uch a~

- 2t86073
- 1~6-

tlen:3ity or ~eathering property, llre improved~ ~o that
th~ image quali~y ix improved.





Representative Drawing
A single figure which represents the drawing illustrating the invention.
Administrative Status

For a clearer understanding of the status of the application/patent presented on this page, the site Disclaimer , as well as the definitions for Patent , Administrative Status , Maintenance Fee  and Payment History  should be consulted.

Administrative Status

Title Date
Forecasted Issue Date 2001-04-17
(22) Filed 1996-09-20
Examination Requested 1996-09-20
(41) Open to Public Inspection 1997-03-23
(45) Issued 2001-04-17
Deemed Expired 2016-09-20

Abandonment History

There is no abandonment history.

Payment History

Fee Type Anniversary Year Due Date Amount Paid Paid Date
Request for Examination $400.00 1996-09-20
Application Fee $0.00 1996-09-20
Registration of a document - section 124 $0.00 1996-12-26
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 2 1998-09-21 $100.00 1998-08-20
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 3 1999-09-20 $100.00 1999-08-13
Maintenance Fee - Application - New Act 4 2000-09-20 $100.00 2000-08-10
Final Fee $300.00 2001-01-22
Final Fee - for each page in excess of 100 pages $340.00 2001-01-22
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 5 2001-09-20 $150.00 2001-08-21
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 6 2002-09-20 $150.00 2002-08-16
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 7 2003-09-22 $150.00 2003-08-21
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 8 2004-09-20 $200.00 2004-08-19
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 9 2005-09-20 $200.00 2005-08-05
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 10 2006-09-20 $250.00 2006-08-08
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 11 2007-09-20 $250.00 2007-08-08
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 12 2008-09-22 $250.00 2008-08-11
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 13 2009-09-21 $250.00 2009-08-13
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 14 2010-09-20 $250.00 2010-08-23
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 15 2011-09-20 $450.00 2011-09-06
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 16 2012-09-20 $450.00 2012-08-08
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 17 2013-09-20 $450.00 2013-08-14
Maintenance Fee - Patent - New Act 18 2014-09-22 $450.00 2014-08-26
Owners on Record

Note: Records showing the ownership history in alphabetical order.

Current Owners on Record
CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Past Owners on Record
KASHINO, TOSHIO
KUDO, KIYOMITSU
NAKATA, YOSHIE
OKAZAKI, TAKESHI
YOSHIHIRA, AYA
Past Owners that do not appear in the "Owners on Record" listing will appear in other documentation within the application.
Documents

To view selected files, please enter reCAPTCHA code :



To view images, click a link in the Document Description column. To download the documents, select one or more checkboxes in the first column and then click the "Download Selected in PDF format (Zip Archive)" or the "Download Selected as Single PDF" button.

List of published and non-published patent-specific documents on the CPD .

If you have any difficulty accessing content, you can call the Client Service Centre at 1-866-997-1936 or send them an e-mail at CIPO Client Service Centre.


Document
Description 
Date
(yyyy-mm-dd) 
Number of pages   Size of Image (KB) 
Claims 1999-08-26 13 514
Cover Page 1997-02-04 1 15
Description 1997-02-04 126 3,938
Abstract 2001-04-16 1 22
Abstract 1997-02-04 1 22
Drawings 2001-04-16 46 536
Claims 1997-02-04 15 297
Drawings 1997-02-04 46 536
Claims 2000-04-14 13 521
Cover Page 2001-03-29 1 50
Representative Drawing 2001-03-29 1 14
Representative Drawing 1997-08-26 1 13
Fees 1999-08-13 1 27
Prosecution-Amendment 2000-04-14 5 137
Prosecution-Amendment 2000-05-10 2 58
Correspondence 2001-01-16 1 1
Prosecution-Amendment 1999-09-27 2 52
Prosecution-Amendment 1999-10-15 2 3
Prosecution-Amendment 1999-08-26 16 608
Correspondence 2001-01-22 1 51
Fees 2001-08-21 1 33
Assignment 1996-09-20 6 223
Prosecution-Amendment 1999-02-26 3 6
Correspondence 2000-07-20 1 107
Fees 1998-08-20 1 41
Fees 2000-08-10 1 32